🍜 Cheap, fast, and at your door in 30–45 minutes. Once you set this up, life in China changes. Here's everything you need. 🇨🇳

Craving a hot meal but staring at a Chinese-only menu? You're not alone. Food delivery (外卖 · wàimài) is one of the biggest daily conveniences in China — and with the right setup, you don't need to read a single character to use it.

The famous yellow riders — Meituan handles millions of orders daily across China.

The Big 3 Apps 📱

Photo-rich menus mean you can point, tap, and order — no Chinese required.

No Chinese? No Problem 🔑

The main apps are Chinese-only, but here's the hack most people don't know:

Otherwise, Google Lens or your phone's screen translator handles menus easily. Most dishes have photos anyway — point, tap, add to cart. 📸

Setup Checklist ✅

• A Chinese phone number (for SMS verification)
• WeChat Pay or Alipay — international Visa/Mastercard work once linked, but can't pay directly
• Your address saved in Chinese characters (ask a friend once, save it forever)

Key Phrases to Recognise 🈯

Chinese	Meaning
外卖	Food delivery (wàimài)
起送价	Minimum order — below this, you can't check out
提交订单	Submit order — this charges you immediately!
满30减15	Spend ¥30, get ¥15 off — grab these deals
放门口，别打电话	"Leave at door, don't call" — add this to your address 🚪

The blue riders — Ele.me is now Taobao Flash Purchase, but the service is the same.

Pro Tips 💡