How to Order Food in Chinese at a Chinese Restaurant

Hi there, I’m Teacher Pingping. Food is one of the best parts of life, right? China has so many amazing dishes — you definitely don’t want to miss out. But what if you walk into a restaurant and don’t know how to talk to the staff? Don’t worry. With me around, you won’t go hungry. Let’s walk through how to order food in a Chinese restaurant step by step.

Walking Into a Chinese Restaurant

When you enter a restaurant in China, the staff will likely greet you with a warm Welcome, “欢迎光临” (Huānyíng guānglín)! In many places, they’ll even be standing at the door waiting to greet guests.

Once you are inside, the first thing they will ask is:

几位？(Jǐ wèi?) = How many people?

Just tell them how many are in your group, and they’ll take you to a table. Once you're seated, it's time to order.

To start, you can say:

请问可以看一下菜单吗？(Qǐngwèn kěyǐ kàn yīxià càidān ma?) = Can I see the menu, please?

Ordering Food

They’ll usually hand you a thick, book-like menu with pictures and names of dishes. You can just point to what you want. Some places let you scan a QR code on the table and order from your phone.

If you’re not sure what to get, you can ask:

你们的招牌菜是什么？可以推荐一下吗？(Nǐmen de zhāopái cài shì shénme? Kěyǐ tuījiàn yīxià ma?) = What are your signature dishes? Can you recommend something?

The server will usually point out their most popular dishes.

Food Preferences

If there’s something you don’t eat — like chili or garlic — just tell them:

我不吃___，这个菜可以不放/少放___吗？(Wǒ bù chī ___, zhège cài kěyǐ bù fàng/shǎo fàng ___ ma?) = I don’t eat ___. Can you leave it out or use less in this dish?

If you’re in the mood for a certain flavor, try asking:

我比较喜欢吃甜/辣/酸的，有推荐的吗？ (Wǒ bǐjiào xǐhuān chī tián/là/suān de, yǒu tuījiàn de ma?) = I like sweet/spicy/sour food. Do you have any recommendations?

If you’re really hungry or short on time, it’s smart to ask:

请问这个菜要等多久？(Qǐngwèn zhège cài yào děng duōjiǔ?) = How long will this dish take?

Some dishes take longer than others, so this can help you avoid a long wait.

What If They Bring the Wrong Dish?

Mistakes happen. If the server brings the wrong dish, just say:

这不是我点的菜 (Zhè bùshì wǒ diǎn de cài) = This isn’t what I ordered.

They’ll sort it out for you.

What If Something’s Wrong With the Dish?

If your food tastes off, don’t stay silent. It’s totally okay to speak up in China.

You can say things like:

这个菜有点油腻/咸/淡 (Zhège cài yǒudiǎn yóunì/xián/dàn) = This dish is a bit too oily/salty/bland.

Sometimes they’ll even offer to make it again.

How to Pay

Full and happy? Time to settle the bill. Just say:

买单 (Mǎidān) or 结账 (Jiézhàng) = Check, please

In China, mobile payments are common, but if you don’t have Alipay or WeChat Pay, no problem. Just say:

付现金 (Fù xiànjīn) = Can I pay with cash?

Leaving the Restaurant

Once you’ve paid and are heading out, you’ll probably hear:

慢走 (慢走) = literally means “Walk Slowly”, but in context, it is a polite way to say goodbye like “Take Care“ in Chinese.

or

欢迎下次光临 (Huānyíng xià cì guānglín) = Hope to see you again!

It’s just a polite way to say they appreciate your visit.

That’s it! I hope this helps you feel more confident next time you walk into a Chinese restaurant. Want to keep learning Chinese with me? Check out our teachers profile: https://www.unseenchina.com/en/chinese/teachers

Useful Phrases

Vocabulary