Ordering Food in China: QR Menus, Portions and Dietary Questions

At a restaurant in China, I'd first work out how the table orders, then decide what to eat. A code on the table may be useful, but it is not worth guessing your way through quantities, payment and ingredients just to avoid asking a simple question.

For an unfamiliar place, choose a few dishes you can identify, confirm the portion style with staff and leave room to add something. If you have a food allergy, speak to a person before placing the order. The menu interface is a convenience; it does not establish that the kitchen can meet a medical need.

Ask how this restaurant wants you to order

Show the table code and ask whether it opens a menu or places an order. If staff point you to a mini program, check the restaurant name and table number before choosing food. If it takes you somewhere unexpected, ask staff to open the correct page with you.

English: Could you help us order? Is this the menu for our table, and do we pay now or after the meal?

Chinese: 请帮我们点餐好吗？这是我们这桌的菜单吗？我们现在付款还是吃完后付款？

If a login or phone-number field stops you, show the actual screen. Ask for another ordering method rather than create a new account in a hurry. A printed menu, staff assistance or a different accepted ordering route may be possible at that restaurant; let the restaurant tell you what works there.

Check the basket before sending it

Use pictures to find possibilities, then read the item description and options. Look for the portion, number of servings and any choices for cooking style, heat or additions. If the translation is confusing, point to the item and ask staff to explain it.

For a group, agree whether you are ordering dishes to share or individual meals. Ask how many people a portion is intended to serve. I'd start with a manageable selection and confirm which dishes come with rice or noodles rather than assume that a photograph shows the complete order.

Before submission, check:

• The correct restaurant and table.
• Each dish and its selected variation.
• The quantity of each item.
• Drinks and side dishes, including any accidentally added extras.
• Ingredient or dietary questions you still need a person to answer.
• Whether the next button submits an order, requests payment or does something else.

After submitting, establish that the restaurant received the order. Keep the confirmation page available. If you return to an unfinished basket, don't immediately submit it again: ask staff whether the first order is already with the kitchen.

Separate “less spicy” from a food allergy

For a taste preference, a short, specific request is easier to discuss than “Western food” or “nothing unusual.” Point to the actual dish and ask whether its preparation can be changed.

These are questions for the kitchen, not guarantees about the dish. A picture of vegetables does not tell you what went into a sauce, stock or cooking pan. Likewise, asking for less chilli does not communicate an allergy to an ingredient.

If an ingredient matters, name it clearly and let staff confirm whether the kitchen can handle the request. Don't rely on an unread comment typed into the order box for a serious restriction.

Prepare an allergy card before the trip

If you have a food allergy: Carry an allergy card in Chinese that lists your own allergens, and show it to the people preparing your meal.

Have the finished card checked by a competent translator and discuss your travel plan with your clinician. Keep it specific to your own allergens and instructions. Don't use an internet template as a substitute for a personal emergency plan.

An opening request for the card can be:

English: I have a serious food allergy. Please read this card and ask the chef whether the food can be prepared safely for me. Please tell me if you are unsure.

Chinese: 我有严重的食物过敏。请阅读这张卡，并请厨师确认是否能为我安全备餐。如果不确定，请明确告诉我。

The detailed allergen list belongs on the checked card that follows. An allergy to peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish or another ingredient needs its own accurate wording; don't collapse different allergens into a vague statement about “nuts” or “seafood.”

I'd make the ingredient conversation before choosing the venue for a long group meal. If the restaurant cannot give a clear answer, choose another option. A confident translation screen cannot make an uncertain kitchen safe.

When the app will not let you finish

If payment fails, ask staff whether an order already exists. Keep the order record and payment record separate until both are clear. Agree on an accepted alternative for that restaurant before another attempt.

If a form asks for information you cannot supply, show the field to staff and ask how they handle visitors in that situation. Avoid borrowing a stranger's phone number, entering made-up identity details or handing over an unlocked phone with bank information visible.

When you need help translating, keep the request short: the dish, the ingredient, the quantity or the payment result. Trying to translate a long explanation of every failed screen usually makes the immediate question harder to answer.

Finish the meal with a clear bill

Compare the bill with what you ordered, including additions made after the original submission. If something is unfamiliar, ask what it refers to before paying. Check the final payment result and keep the receipt if you need a record.

For setting up the payment side beforehand, use the Alipay guide. If the transaction result is unclear, follow the payment troubleshooting steps.