For many Mandarin learners and foreigners living in China, going out to eat in restaurants can be a delicious yet intimidating experience. From reading the menu to ordering food in Chinese, navigating a smooth dining experience in China requires some knowledge of the Chinese language as well as familiarity with how to order food in China.

If you can get yourself feeling confident about ordering Chinese food, you’re going to have a much better experience eating out in China — your stomach will thank you!

In this article, we’ll help you learn all the basics you need to know for dining in China, including reading Chinese menus and ordering food in Mandarin. With this preparation, the next time you head out to eat, you’ll be able to grab a chair and dig into the meal without sweating your Chinese.

Ordering Food in Chinese: Top things to know

Entering the Restaurant and Getting a Table

Entering into the atmosphere of a bustling Chinese restaurant can overwhelm the senses with the enticing aromas of food and drink and the bright sounds of laughter and conversation. In China (and Asian cultures in general), people are more likely to socialize with family or friends over a meal in family-friendly establishments (particularly for certain special occasions like the Mid-Autumn Festival in China). 

Lively Chinese conversation in restaurants can make them very noisy places. In fact, people often associate the noise level of an eatery with the quality of its dishes, so if you’re looking for great eats, the more noise, the better!

Below are some useful words and phrases for when you walk into a restaurant and are trying to get seated or get take-out in Chinese:

Actually Ordering Food in Chinese

Once you get settled at your table, it’s time to check out the menu and order your food.

The tradition in China is to share, so when you’re ordering in a group, know that you’re all ordering for everyone, family style. 

If you’re trying to decide how much food to order for your group, a good rule of thumb is to order one dish per person, though the Chinese custom is to err on ordering too much food to show generosity and hospitality. 

Chinese Menus

Some restaurants offer menus with English translation, but most local restaurants only have Chinese menus available. Fortunately, many restaurants include pictures of their most recommended or popular dishes.

In any case, it’s a good idea to know your food vocabulary. It’s rarely a fun experience to order a dish only to realize upon receiving it that you didn’t actually know what you were asking for. 

Using Hack Chinese, you can build up handy vocabulary lists (like these ones pre-built for “food” and “Chinese food”) to ensure that you know how to talk about food in Mandarin and that you can order your dumplings just how you like every time. 

Here’s a list of some of the most popular Chinese dishes you might want to know:

…and here are some fast food favorites:

Receiving Your Order

When your food gets to your table, check to make sure you’ve got all the right dishes. Once you’re ready, dig in!

Loud tongue clicking and slurping are signs of being happy with your food. And eating everything that’s on the table? That’s actually quite rude in Chinese culture.

Here’s some vocab that will help with this stage of the meal:

Paying the Bill

In China, meals are eaten relatively quickly, and it is customary to leave the restaurant as soon as everyone is finished.

When it comes to paying for the meal, men usually pay for women on dates, and older people typically pay for younger people.

As your meal comes to a close, here are some phrases you might want to have handy:

Is There Tipping in China?

It’s not customary to tip in restaurants in China. If the service was exceptionally good, and you are paying in cash, you can simply ask them to keep the change as a tip.

Some (Chinese) Food for Thought

Eating Chinese food can be a fantastic opportunity to get to know more about Chinese culture and learn Chinese vocabulary.

Even if you don’t have a chance to go to China, you can attempt to practice your new skills wherever you live by patronizing Chinese restaurants (though be aware that not all Chinese restaurants operate using Chinese). If you’re fortunate, you’ll find tasty local opportunities for practicing how to order food in Mandarin. 

If you find yourself planning to eat out using the Chinese language (in China or elsewhere), prepare by looking over some vocabulary for ordering food in Chinese. The smoother your interactions with the restaurant staff go, the more of your own attention you’ll be able to direct towards your company and your food. Allow yourself to experience and enjoy your meal rather than fret about your language skills! After all, scrumptious food is one of the best parts of learning about another culture.