Short answer
Walk into a sit-down restaurant in most Chinese cities and nobody hands you a menu. There is a QR code stuck to the corner of the table. You scan it with Alipay or WeChat, the menu opens on your phone — usually with a photo of every dish — and you order, and often pay, without speaking to anyone. It sounds intimidating and is in fact easier than a paper menu, because you can zoom in and run your phone's translate camera over anything unclear.
If the QR route defeats you, ask for a paper menu — most restaurants still keep a few copies — or simply point at dishes on other tables, at pictures, or at whatever the next table is eating. Pointing is completely normal in China and nobody will find it strange.
Two things to set up before your first meal: Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to an international card, because the menu and the bill usually run through the same app, and a translation app with camera mode. With those two, you can eat anywhere.
How scan-to-order works, step by step
- Sit down and look for the QR codeIt is usually on a plastic stand on the table, or stuck to the tabletop. Sometimes it is by the door instead.
- Scan it with Alipay or WeChatUse the scan function in either app, not your phone's camera. The menu opens as a mini-program inside the app.
- Allow location if askedThe app needs to know which table you are at. This is normal, and it is how the kitchen routes your order.
- Order from the photo menuDishes are usually illustrated, with prices. Add items to a cart, adjust quantities, and submit.
- Pay in the appMany systems charge when you order; others let you pay at the end. Either way the payment goes through the same app.
- Ask for the bill if you need oneSay 买单 (mǎi dān) or 结账 (jié zhàng). At QR restaurants there may be a "check out" button in the mini-program instead.
When the QR menu defeats you
- Ask for a paper menu. 有菜单吗? (yǒu càidān ma?), "Do you have a menu?" Most places keep printed copies even when the table QR is the default.
- Use your camera's translate mode. Point it at the phone screen or the wall menu and read the Chinese as English. It is imperfect on dish names but good enough to avoid ordering tripe by accident.
- Point at the next table. 那个 (nàge), "that one", with a gesture is a complete order.
- Photograph the dish you want and show the picture. Staff are used to this and it works better than pronunciation.
- Look for English menus in tourist areas and in international hotel restaurants. Outside those, do not count on it.
| Method | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| QR scan-to-order | Scan the table code with Alipay or WeChat; order and pay in the app | Most sit-down restaurants in cities; anyone with payments set up |
| Paper menu + pointing | Ask for a menu, point at what you want | When the app fails, when you have no data, or at smaller local places |
| Pointing at other tables | Gesture at a dish and say nàge | Photo-less menus and busy canteens |
| Translate camera | Point your phone camera at Chinese text | Wall menus, buffet labels, handwritten price boards |
| Delivery apps | Meituan or similar, ordered to your hotel | Late arrivals and rainy nights — but only once payments and data work |
How a Chinese meal is structured
Chinese restaurant meals are shared. Dishes arrive in the middle of the table and everyone eats from all of them, with individual bowls of rice or noodles on the side. That has practical consequences for ordering:
- Order fewer dishes than you think. One dish per person, plus a rice or noodle dish and a soup, is a normal table for a group. You can always add more mid-meal.
- Rice is ordered separately and is cheap; it is not automatically brought.
- Cold dishes come first, then stir-fries and braises, then soup. Nobody will be offended if everything lands at once.
- Communal chopsticks are increasingly common. Some restaurants provide "black-and-white" chopsticks, white for serving from the shared dishes, black for your own mouth. Use them the right way round.
- Chopstick taboos are real but few. Do not stand chopsticks upright in a rice bowl, do not stab food with them, and do not tap your bowl.
- There is no tipping culture. Staff do not expect a tip and leaving cash can cause confusion.
Reading the bill
The number on the menu is broadly what you pay, VAT is built into the price, unlike in some countries. But a few line items catch visitors out, and none of them are a tip.
| Bill line | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 服务费 fúwùfèi | Service charge, typically 10–15%. Mainly hotel restaurants and upmarket rooms | Nothing — it is already the tip. Do not add more |
| 茶位费 cháwèifèi | Per-head tea or cover charge, common at Cantonese and dim sum restaurants | Nothing. It pays for tea and pickles, not staff |
| 餐具费 cānjùfèi | Utensil fee for a sealed or sterilised set. Rules differ by province and some ban it outright | You can ask for free utensils instead; if charged without notice, you can query it |
| 低消 dīxiāo | Minimum spend per table, at some bars and clubs | Ask before you sit down if it matters to you |
| 开瓶费 kāipíngfèi | Corkage for bringing your own bottle | Ask first — it varies enormously |
If something on the bill was not disclosed before you ordered it, it is fair to question it. Consumer-protection rules require restaurants to state their prices and any charges up front.
Phrases that do the work
- 不要辣 bú yào là, no chili at all.
- 微辣 wēi là, mild. In Sichuan and Hunan restaurants, mild is calibrated for people who eat chili daily.
- 不要香菜 bú yào xiāngcài, no coriander / cilantro. This one matters more than you expect.
- 有英文菜单吗? yǒu yīngwén càidān ma?, do you have an English menu?
- 我吃素 wǒ chī sù, I am vegetarian. Expect to confirm each dish anyway.
- 不要肉 bú yào ròu, no meat.
- 买单 / 结账 mǎi dān / jié zhàng, the bill, please.
- 打包 dǎbāo, takeaway container. Doggy bags are normal and free or nearly free.
- 有服务费吗? yǒu fúwùfèi ma?, is there a service charge?
Spice, allergies and dietary limits
In Sichuan, Hunan and Chongqing-style restaurants, chili is the default, and servers may ask how hot you want it. Start at 不要辣 and climb; there is almost always chili oil on the table if you change your mind. One caveat: a few dishes are spicy by definition. Ask for mapo tofu without chili and you may get a puzzled look, because the chili is the dish. Order something else instead.
For allergies, show it in writing, every time. A spoken sentence across a noisy dining room is not reliable; a translated card with the allergen in Chinese characters is. Peanut oil and sesame paste are common across many regional styles, and vegetarian dishes are frequently seasoned with meat broth, lard or oyster sauce, so confirm rather than assume.
Frequently asked questions
Do Chinese restaurants have English menus?
Some do in big-city tourist areas and international hotel restaurants, but most do not. QR-code menus with photos plus your phone's translate camera cover nearly everything, and you can always ask for a paper menu and point.
Do I need Alipay or WeChat Pay to eat out?
For QR-menu restaurants, effectively yes, the menu and the bill run through the same app. Set up one of them with an international card before you arrive. A minority of restaurants still take cash, but many cannot make change.
How do I say "not spicy" in Chinese?
不要辣, bú yào là, means no chili at all. 微辣 (wēi là) means mild. In Sichuan or Hunan restaurants, mild is still noticeably hot, so start low and add chili oil at the table.
Should I tip in a Chinese restaurant?
No. Tipping is not part of mainland restaurant culture and leaving cash can confuse staff. Some upmarket and hotel restaurants add a 10–15% service charge (服务费) to the bill; that is the only gratuity involved.
What is a tea or cover charge on the bill?
茶位费 is a per-head charge, common at Cantonese and dim sum restaurants, covering tea and small pickles. It is not a tip and does not change what you pay staff. Ask 有服务费吗? if you want to know about charges before ordering.
Can I get a dish without chili if it is normally spicy?
Usually, but not always. For a handful of signature dishes the chili is the dish itself, mapo tofu being the obvious example, and a request to remove it may simply be declined. Order a different dish instead of fighting it.
How much food should I order for a group?
One dish per person, plus rice or noodles ordered separately and optionally a soup. Dishes are shared, portions are generous, and you can add more mid-meal. Over-ordering is the most common first-timer mistake.
What is the QR code on the table for?
Scanning it with Alipay or WeChat opens the restaurant's menu as a mini-program inside the app. You order from a photo menu, often pay there and then, and can usually call the bill from the same screen.
Related reading
QR ordering, bill-line charges and tipping norms follow published restaurant and consumer-protection guidance in China plus independent expat and travel guides, current as of September 2026. Service charges, tea charges and utensil-fee rules vary by city, restaurant and province, check the bill rather than assuming.