How to Order Food Delivery in China (2026): Meituan & Ele.me Guide for Foreigners

It’s 9 PM, you’re in your apartment in Shanghai, and you’re hungry. You don’t feel like going out. You open your phone — and stare at an app full of Chinese characters. Sound familiar?

Food delivery is a way of life in China. In major cities, you can get almost anything delivered to your door in 20–40 minutes: hot pot ingredients, bubble tea, McDonald’s, a full home-cooked meal from a local restaurant, even groceries and medicine. The two platforms that dominate are Meituan (美团) and Ele.me (饿了么).

Neither app is designed for foreigners, and both are almost entirely in Chinese. But with this guide, you’ll be ordering like a local in no time.

Meituan vs Ele.me: Which One Should You Use?

Our recommendation: Start with Meituan. It has more restaurants, more riders, and faster delivery times in most areas. You can also access Meituan through its WeChat Mini Program (search “美团外卖” in WeChat), which means one less app to download. Use Ele.me as a backup if a specific restaurant is only available there.

Ele.me is owned by Alibaba, so it integrates directly with Alipay. If you prefer Alipay as your main payment method, you can access Ele.me from within the Alipay app without downloading anything extra.

What You Need Before You Start

• A Chinese phone number: Both apps require SMS verification with a Chinese mobile number. You need a local SIM card first.
• Alipay or WeChat Pay set up: You need one of these for payment. International cards work — see our WeChat Pay & Alipay setup guide.
• A delivery address in Chinese: Your home address needs to be entered in Chinese characters. Ask your landlord, hotel front desk, or use Google Translate to convert it.

Download and Registration

Meituan

1. Download “Meituan” (美团) from the App Store or Google Play. The icon is a yellow kangaroo.
2. Open the app and tap the profile icon in the bottom right.
3. Enter your Chinese phone number. You’ll receive an SMS verification code.
4. Allow location access so the app shows restaurants near you.
5. Set your delivery address: tap the location bar at the top, then “新增地址” (Add New Address). Enter your address in Chinese.

Ele.me

1. Download “Ele.me” (饿了么) from your app store, or open it inside Alipay (search “饿了么”).
2. Log in with your Alipay account or register with your Chinese phone number.
3. Set your delivery address the same way as Meituan.

How to Place Your First Order (Step-by-Step)

Here’s the process using Meituan. Ele.me is nearly identical.

Step 1: Browse or Search

The home screen shows popular restaurants nearby. You can scroll through categories or use the search bar at the top. Useful search terms:

• 汉堡 (hànbǎo) — burgers
• 披萨 (písà) — pizza
• 麻辣烫 (málàtàng) — spicy soup (pick your own ingredients)
• 奶茶 (nǎichá) — bubble tea
• 黄焰鸡 (huángmènjī) — braised chicken rice
• 沙拉 (shālà) — salad

Step 2: Pick a Restaurant

Each restaurant listing shows: rating (评分), monthly orders (月售), delivery fee (配送费), minimum order (起送价), and estimated delivery time. Higher ratings and higher monthly orders generally mean better food and service.

Step 3: Add Items to Cart

Tap a dish to see details. Many items have options like size, spice level, or add-ons. Use the yellow “+” button to add items to your cart. The cart total shows at the bottom of the screen.

Step 4: Add Special Instructions (备注)

Before checking out, you can add notes to your order. This is where you communicate allergies, preferences, or special requests. The restaurant may not read English notes, so use Chinese. Here are the most useful phrases:

For more useful phrases, check our Bilingual Phrase Templates.

Step 5: Check Out and Pay

1. Tap the cart at the bottom → “去结算” (Checkout).
2. Confirm your delivery address.
3. Choose payment: Alipay or WeChat Pay. If you’ve linked your international card to either, payment goes through automatically.
4. Tap “提交订单” (Submit Order).
5. Done. You’ll see a live tracker showing when the restaurant accepts your order, when the rider picks it up, and their real-time location on a map.

When the Rider Calls (And You Don’t Speak Chinese)

This is the moment every foreigner dreads. The rider calls because they can’t find your building, the gate is locked, or they want to confirm something. Here’s how to handle it:

• Don’t panic. Most of the time, they’re just confirming they’re at the door. Say “我在这里” (wǒ zài zhèlǐ — I’m here) or “放在门口” (fàng zài ménkǒu — leave it at the door).
• Use the in-app chat. Both Meituan and Ele.me have a chat function. You can send text messages, which are easier to translate than phone calls. Copy-paste from a translator.
• Set your delivery preference to “放到门口” (deliver to door) in the order settings. This reduces the chance they need to call you at all.
• Add a note with your building/room number in Chinese: e.g., “请放到 3号楼 502室 门口，谢谢” (Please deliver to Building 3, Room 502 door, thank you).

Tipping and Rating

Tipping is not expected or customary in China. Riders are paid per delivery by the platform. You won’t find a tipping option in most cases.

After delivery, the app asks you to rate the experience (1–5 stars). Ratings matter a lot for restaurants and riders in China. A 5-star rating with a positive comment helps them significantly. If there was a genuine problem, use the complaint system rather than a low rating — the platform takes complaints seriously.

What to Do When Things Go Wrong

Wrong Order

If you received the wrong food, open the order in the app, tap “申请售后” (Apply for After-Sales) or “退款” (Refund). Take a photo of what you received vs. what you ordered. Refunds are usually processed within 1–2 hours and go back to your payment method.

Food Allergy Concerns

Unfortunately, allergen labeling is not standardized in Chinese food delivery apps. If you have serious allergies, always add a note in Chinese (see the allergy phrases above). For severe allergies (anaphylaxis risk), consider calling the restaurant directly or sticking to international chains where allergen protocols are more reliable.

Order Never Arrived

If the tracker shows “delivered” but you never got it, contact customer service through the app. You can also call the rider directly from the order page. Meituan and Ele.me have fairly robust refund systems — you’ll usually get your money back if the order is genuinely missing.

International Chain Alternatives

If the all-Chinese interface feels overwhelming at first, these international chains have their own WeChat Mini Programs with English interfaces:

• McDonald’s — Search “麦当劳” in WeChat Mini Programs. Full English menu, international card accepted.
• KFC — Search “KFC” or “肯德基” in WeChat. English available.
• Pizza Hut — Search “必胜客” in WeChat. Some English support.
• Starbucks — Search “星巴克” in WeChat or use the Starbucks China app. Delivery in 30 minutes.
• Luckin Coffee — Their own app has partial English support and is often cheaper than Starbucks.

These are great training wheels while you get comfortable with the full Meituan/Ele.me experience.

Pro Tips for Food Delivery in China

• Check delivery fees: Some restaurants offer free delivery above a certain order amount (usually ¥20–30). Look for “免配送” (free delivery) tags.
• Use coupons: Both apps constantly push discount coupons (“红包”). New users get especially generous first-order discounts. Check the “我的” (My) tab for available coupons.
• Order during off-peak hours: Delivery is fastest between 2–5 PM. During lunch (11:30–1 PM) and dinner (6–8 PM) rush, expect 40–60 minute waits.
• Save favorite restaurants: Tap the heart icon on a restaurant page to save it. Reordering from your favorites is much faster than searching every time.
• Group orders: Having a meal with roommates? Meituan’s “拼单” (group order) feature lets multiple people add items from the same restaurant in one order, saving on delivery fees.
• Grocery delivery: Both apps also deliver groceries (买菜). Meituan’s “美团买菜” and Ele.me’s grocery section can deliver fresh produce, meat, and household items in 30 minutes.
• Late-night options: Most restaurants stop delivering around 9–10 PM, but convenience stores (FamilyMart, Lawson) and some 24-hour restaurants stay on the platform all night.

Understanding the Chinese Menu

Here are common menu categories and terms you’ll see in food delivery apps: