#1 China Food Delivery App: Meituan
1. Download & Set Your Address (Critical!)
- Register with your phone number (Chinese or international) or link your WeChat/Alipay account. Enable location services to see nearby restaurants. Sometimes registration requires a Chinese phone number and a local payment method (e.g., Alipay, WeChat Pay, or a Chinese bank card). Some features may be limited without a Chinese ID. Pls ask ur Chinese friends for help!
- Open the app, sign up (phone/WeChat), and immediately set your delivery address:
- Tap “我的” (Me) → “地址管理” (Address Book) → “新增地址” (Add Address).
- Type your exact address in Chinese (or use a map pin). Wrong address = no food!
Credit: shanghai.gov
2. How to Order Meituan
- Go to “外卖” (Food Delivery), pick a restaurant, and add food to your cart.
- Before checkout, double-check your address at the top of the screen!
Credit: shanghai.gov
3. Pay & Track
- Pay via WeChat/Alipay, then watch the rider’s GPS live on the map.
- Tip: If the rider calls, use the in-app translator or say “请放门口” (Qǐng fàng ménkǒu) for “Leave at door.”
#2 China Food Delivery App: Eleme
Step 1 – Setting Up Your Account & Address
(The most critical step—mess this up, and you’ll get lost in translation.)
- Enable Location – The app needs this to show nearby restaurants.
- Add Your Address in Chinese – Road name + building number + floor/unit.
Example: "上海市静安区南京西路1376号, 3楼301室" (No. 1376 West Nanjing Road, Jing’an, Shanghai, Room 301, 3rd Floor)
Pro Tip: If you don’t know your exact address, use a landmark ("Deliver to Starbucks at X road")—but expect calls.
Credit: shanghai.gov
Step 2 – Ordering Food
- Tap "外卖" (Delivery) → browse or search dishes (try "披萨" for pizza, "汉堡" for hamburger)
- Use Google Lens/WeChat to translate unfamiliar dishes
- Check minimum order amounts (起送价) and delivery fees
- Add to cart → review items → tap blue "去结算" (Checkout) button
Credit: shanghai.gov
Step 2 – Pay & Receive
- Double-check address at top of payment page
- Select payment (WeChat/Alipay recommended)
- Add notes in "订单备注" like: "不要辣" (No spice) , "放门口" (Leave at door)
- Track rider in real-time - they'll call if lost (keep phone handy)
China Food Apps - Finding Restaurants Nearby
Dianping | The Yelp of China
The Dianping app is geo-restricted and requires a Chinese Apple ID to download. Instead:
- Use WeChat/Alipay Mini-Programs:
- Open WeChat → Tap “Discover” → “Mini Programs” → Search “大众点评”.
- In Alipay, search “Dianping” and use its built-in translator button for menus/reviews.
- Browser Workaround:
- Visit dianping.com → Use Chrome’s “Translate to English”
No Chinese phone number? You’ll hit walls trying to create an account. Workarounds: borrow a friend’s number for SMS verification or grab a cheap prepaid Chinese SIM.
Dianping links to Baidu Maps by default, which is Chinese-only. To switch to English-friendly Amaps (高德地图), tap the address, hit “更多” (More), and select Amaps. If you’re handed an address image, copy-paste it into Apple Maps—but learn key terms like “号” (number) and “楼” (floor) to decode it.
Xiaohongshu (RED) | Authentic UGC Food Reviews
Found a Chengdu hotpot spot here with a 20-year-old broth recipe—zero foreigner reviews online, but Xiaohongshu users raved about its "麻得正宗" (authentic numbing spice).
✅ Real user reviews (UGC) – Less paid promotions or fake ratings.
✅ Hyper-local finds – Hole-in-the-wall noodle joints, grandma-style dumpling spots, trendy cafes.
✅ Photo-heavy posts – See the food before you go (no "menu vs. reality" scams).
Use Chinese keywords to search:
- 本地人推荐美食 (locals’ recommendations) e.g., "上海 本地人推荐 (生煎)" → "Shanghai locals’ favorite (shengjianbao) spots"
- 上海最好吃的餐厅 (best restaurants Shanghai)
China Food Apps - Buying Food Online
Taobao
More verified sellers – Fewer fakes, reliable cold chain delivery. I swear by Taobao for legit food shopping - their cold-chain delivery is crazy fast. Just last week I got Inner Mongolia milk delivered in 2 days, and it's 30%+ cheaper (even more fresh)!
It's best for reliable groceries, imported snacks, and regional specialties (e.g., Inner Mongolia milk skin mooncakes, Hangzhou taro cheese balls). Use Chinese search terms for best results. Delivery is fast (1-3 days for cold-chain items). Always check negative reviews to avoid bad sellers. You can use bank card or Alipay to buy on Taobao.
Some of my fav food: 宁波梁弄大糕 (Ningbo Lianglong rice cakes) 内蒙古湿奶皮子月饼 (Inner Mongolia milk skin mooncakes) 杭州古早万丹芋泥奶酪球 (Hangzhou taro cheese balls) 云南鲜花饼 (Yunnan rose cakes) – all cheaper online!
Pinduoduo (拼多多)
I use Pinduoduo only for dry goods or snacks, because:
- Too many fake reviews—even 10,000+ sales can be刷单 (fake orders). Only trust products with detailed bad/mediocre review!
- Dangerously cheap deals (¥9.9 for 10 mangos? Probably rotten). Bought "A5 wagyu" for ¥15—it was pure fat. Now I only buy low-risk items here.
- But Refunds are quick—if something’s bad, complain with photos and demand 退款 (refund).
- Best for:
- Instant noodles
- Packaged snacks
- Non-perishables
Final Tip: For fresh food, stick to Taobao. For cheap snacks, Pinduoduo works—if you’re careful!
China Food Apps - How to Cook Chinese Food
Xiachufang (下厨房)
I learned 糖醋排骨 (sweet & sour ribs) here after 3 failed attempts. The top-rated recipe’s comment section saved me—someone warned, "炒糖色别用大火!" (Don’t caramelize sugar on high heat!).
Why It’s Great:
- Detailed recipes with photos/videos (even for obscure dishes like 三杯鸡 Taiwanese three-cup chicken or 红烧肉 braised pork).
- User reviews show what actually works (e.g., "减少酱油，太咸了!" "Reduce soy sauce—too salty!").
- Ingredient substitutions for hard-to-find items (no 豆瓣酱? Use 老干妈, 2 popular sauce in China).
How to Use Without Fluent Chinese:
- Search in Chinese characters (Google Translate your dish first, e.g., "kung pao chicken" → 宫保鸡丁).
- Use Google Lens to translate recipe steps instantly.
- Filter by "高评分" (high ratings) and "收藏最多" (most saved).
Youtube/Bilibili(China YT)
I once tried making 小笼包 from a YouTube video… the dough was a disaster. Now I cross-check with Bilibili’s 揉面技巧 (kneading tutorials)—no more dumpling fails! It's mostly Chinese, but u can just choose the vedios with less words! Here's how to use,
- Search dishes in Chinese (e.g., don't search "how to make mapo tofu" → search 麻婆豆腐做法 instead). Or if u don't have an idea of what to cook, search 家常菜教学（how to cook local food in China）
- Follow creators like 美食作家王刚 (Chef Wang Gang) for pro techniques (he’ll teach you to "宽油警告" use a ton of oil like a real chef).
- Use Chrome auto-translate for video descriptions.
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