Quick answer
- Food delivery in Chinese cities is fast, cheap and everywhere. Two platforms run most of it: Meituan (美团) and Ele.me (饿了么), which renamed its app Taobao Shangou (淘宝闪购) in December 2025. In restaurants you'll often see a QR code on the table instead of a paper menu. This guide covers the easiest way for a visitor to use each, what to do about foreign phone numbers and cards, and how to get the rider to your door.
The easy route: mini-programs inside Alipay
You don't need to install either food app. Beijing's official guide for new arrivals calls Alipay the "king of apps for foreign visitors". It tells you to search for the DiDi, Trip, Meituan and Ele.me mini-programs inside Alipay, and says Alipay has a built-in translator covering 15 languages (Beijing Municipal Government).
Steps:
- Set up Alipay and link your card (see Using a foreign card in China).
- In Alipay's search bar, type 美团 or 美团外卖 (Meituan delivery), or 饿了么 / 淘宝闪购 (Ele.me).
- Open the mini-program and agree to log in with your Alipay account.
- Set your delivery address (see below), choose dishes and pay with Alipay.
Why this is easier: you skip a separate sign-up, and payment goes through the card you've already linked to Alipay. Alipay and WeChat Pay cap international-card payments at US$5,000 per transaction and US$50,000 per year (Shanghai Municipal Government). That's far more than any takeaway order. WeChat has mini-programs too, but Beijing's guide warns they're mostly Chinese-only and WeChat has no built-in translator like Alipay's.
Meituan vs Ele.me at a glance
| Meituan (美团) | Ele.me → Taobao Shangou (淘宝闪购) | |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Meituan | Alibaba |
| App languages | Simplified Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, per its Google Play listing | Chinese (check locally for an English mode) |
| Inside Alipay | Yes, search 美团 | Yes, search 饿了么 or 淘宝闪购 |
| Foreign card in its own app | Possible. Its payment terms include an appendix for cards issued outside mainland China | Pay through Alipay |
| Also does | Groceries, group-buy vouchers, hotels, rides | Groceries and instant retail |
Sources: Google Play (Meituan); Meituan payment terms; The Paper on the Ele.me rename.
About the Ele.me name change. On 5 December 2025, Alibaba announced that the Ele.me app would be called "Taobao Shangou" once updated. Its customer service said only the name changed (The Paper). Signs, receipts and riders' jackets may still say 饿了么 for a while.
Using the Meituan app itself
Meituan's Google Play listing says the app supports four interface languages: Simplified Chinese, English, Japanese and Korean (Google Play). Two things can trip you up:
- Phone verification. In recent Google Play reviews (September–October 2026), users report not getting SMS codes on UK, Malaysian and other foreign numbers, and accounts getting locked. These are user reports, not Meituan policy, but they're a good reason to start with the Alipay route.
- Foreign cards. Meituan's payment provider, Qiandaibao, has a "foreign card user appendix" in the Meituan Payment Service Agreement (updated 30 March 2026). It covers cards issued outside mainland China, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. To link one, you give your real name, ID type and number, nationality, contact details, address and occupation, and upload a passport photo, plus the card number, CVV and expiry date. If you only link a foreign card and don't finish real-name verification, you can pay with the card ("quick pay") but can't use a Meituan balance, top up or transfer money (Meituan Payment Service Agreement). The terms don't list which card networks work (check locally).
Entering your address so the rider finds you
Most failed orders come down to the address.
- Use the map pin first. Search for your hotel by its Chinese name (copy it from your booking confirmation) and confirm the pin on the map.
- Add details in the house-number field (门牌号): building (栋), floor (楼) and room (房间).
- Contact phone: use a number you can actually answer. If you don't have a local SIM, add a note asking the rider to message you, or to leave the order at reception (see the phrases in the Members section).
- Hotels: many hotels don't let riders go upstairs. Ask at the front desk where deliveries are left (check locally).
Dine-in: scanning the table QR code
In many restaurants each table has a QR code. Scan it with Alipay or WeChat and the restaurant's ordering mini-program opens. You choose dishes, they go to the kitchen, and you pay on your phone. A 2024 inspection by Shanghai's market regulator describes exactly this setup: numbered QR codes on each table, with WeChat and Alipay logos at the counter (Shanghai Municipal Government).
Know your rights:
- You don't have to hand over personal data to order. In that case, regulators ordered a restaurant to fix a QR menu that demanded a phone number before taking an order. They said the QR flow must offer a "clean" option that lets you order without logging in. Staff also confirmed you could order at the counter instead (Shanghai Municipal Government).
- You can pay other ways. A 2024 State Council directive says larger venues, including shopping districts, tourist sites and hotels, must accept mobile payments, bank cards and cash, and it urges catering and other consumer businesses to accept cash (State Council). Small restaurants may still be phone-only in practice (check locally). Carry a little cash as backup.
If the QR menu won't work for you: wave a staff member over, point at the dishes in the menu photos and say 我要这个 (wǒ yào zhège, "I want this").
Related guides
- Using a foreign card in China
- Amap vs Apple Maps: pin your hotel's exact address
- City food basics: Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu
FAQ
Can foreigners use Meituan?
Yes. The easiest way is the Meituan mini-program inside Alipay, which Beijing's official new-arrival guide recommends. The Meituan app itself has an English interface, but some users report trouble verifying foreign phone numbers.
Does Meituan accept foreign credit cards?
Its payment terms include an appendix for cards issued outside mainland China. Linking one needs your passport details and photo plus the card's CVV and expiry. Paying through Alipay is usually simpler.
What happened to Ele.me?
On 5 December 2025 the Ele.me app was renamed Taobao Shangou (淘宝闪购). Search 饿了么 or 淘宝闪购 in Alipay.
Do I have to scan the QR code to order in a restaurant?
Usually not. Shanghai regulators require QR ordering to work without forced login, and staff can take your order at the counter.
How do I make sure delivery reaches my hotel room?
Pin the hotel by its Chinese name, add room details, and paste a note asking the rider to leave the order at the front desk or message you.
Sources
- Beijing Municipal Government — 202408/t20240830 3785643.html
- Shanghai Municipal People's Government — 20260920/4fc94c2f0e6b47e7939969415e5feb04.html
- play.google.com — apps/details
- qiandai.com — cupwallet/payservice202604
- thepaper.cn — newsDetail forward 32113216
- Shanghai Municipal People's Government — 20240315/ce89ccf8660c4101bc4e54485eddf7f6.html
- www.gov.cn — 202403/content 6937624.htm
Last checked 12 November 2026. Rules and app menus change; if something's outdated, let us know.
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