Food delivery in China is genuinely impressive. Within 30 minutes of opening an app, you can have restaurant-quality food at your door — and you don't need to speak a word of Mandarin to make it work. Eleme (饿了么) and Meituan (美团) are the two dominant platforms, and both are accessible to foreigners with a foreign bank card and a phone number.
This guide walks you through setup, ordering, payment, and the real friction points that catch most first-timers.
Eleme vs Meituan: Which One Should You Use?
Both apps work similarly and cover most major cities. A few practical differences:
| | Eleme (饿了么) | Meituan (美团) | |---|---|---| | Ownership | Alibaba (integrated with Alipay) | Meituan (standalone) | | English interface | Partial (limited) | Partial (limited) | | Foreign card | Via Alipay | Via WeChat Pay or international card | | Coverage | Strong in Shanghai, east coast | Slightly broader nationwide | | Extra services | Hotel bookings, grocery | Hotel, bike rental, grocery, beauty |
Practical recommendation: If you already have Alipay set up, start with Eleme — the payment integration is seamless. If you're more comfortable with WeChat Pay, use Meituan.
You don't need to pick just one. Most foreigners who stay more than a week end up using both depending on which has better restaurant options near them.
What You Need Before You Start
Before downloading either app, you need at least one of these:
- Alipay with a linked foreign bank card (for Eleme)
- WeChat Pay with a foreign card linked (for Meituan)
- A Chinese phone number (required for account registration on both)
If you're on a tourist SIM card or eSIM with a Chinese number, that's enough. Foreign numbers sometimes work during registration but expect verification SMS to fail on some carriers — a local SIM number is more reliable.
Setting Up Eleme (饿了么)
Step 1: Download the App
Search "Ele.me" on the App Store or Google Play. The international version is available in both stores.
Step 2: Register
- Tap "Sign Up" on the first screen
- Enter your Chinese phone number (the one from your local SIM or travel SIM)
- Enter the verification code sent by SMS
- Set a password
If you're using a foreign number, it may fail at the SMS step. In that case, try registering through the Alipay app instead — Eleme is accessible within Alipay under "Food Delivery."
Step 3: Link Payment
The easiest path: link your Alipay account.
- Go to Profile → Payment Settings
- Select Alipay
- You'll be redirected to Alipay to authorize
If your Alipay already has a foreign card linked, you're done.
Step 4: Set Your Delivery Address
- Tap the location pin at the top of the home screen
- Enter your hotel address or apartment address in Chinese
- If you don't have the Chinese address, search for the hotel name — it usually appears in the suggestions
Setting Up Meituan (美团)
Step 1: Download
Search "Meituan" on App Store or Google Play. The English-language version is in both stores.
Step 2: Register
- Same process as Eleme: phone number → SMS verification → password
- You can also log in with WeChat account if you have WeChat
Step 3: Link Payment
Meituan supports:
- WeChat Pay (most common for foreigners who have WeChat set up)
- Alipay
- International credit card (direct — Visa/Mastercard accepted in many regions, though coverage is inconsistent)
To try a direct international card:
- Go to Profile → Wallet → Add Card
- Enter Visa or Mastercard details
This works for some cards and fails for others. If it fails, use WeChat Pay or Alipay instead.
Step 4: Set Location
Same as Eleme — tap the location bar at the top, enter your address or hotel name.
How to Order: Step by Step
Once you're set up, ordering is surprisingly intuitive.
On Eleme
- Open the app — the home screen shows restaurants sorted by distance
- Tap a restaurant to see the menu
- Tap items to add to cart (the red + button)
- Tap the cart icon at the bottom to review your order
- Confirm your delivery address
- Select payment method
- Tap "Place Order"
You'll see a live map showing your delivery rider's location once the order is accepted.
On Meituan
The flow is nearly identical:
- Home screen shows nearby restaurants
- Browse or search — the search bar at the top works for cuisine type (try typing "pizza," "burger," "hot pot," or even "KFC")
- Add items to cart
- Review and confirm address
- Pay
Both apps show estimated delivery time before you confirm — typically 20–45 minutes depending on distance and how busy it is.
Handling the Language Barrier
The apps are mostly in Chinese. Here's what you actually need to know:
Key buttons (Eleme and Meituan):
- 加入购物车 = Add to cart
- 去结算 / 立即下单 = Checkout / Place order
- 确认 = Confirm
- 支付 = Pay
- 联系骑手 = Contact rider
- 配送地址 = Delivery address
When you're choosing a restaurant:
- Look at the star rating and the number of reviews (more reviews = more established)
- The number next to the clock icon is delivery time in minutes (分钟)
- The delivery fee (配送费) is shown at the bottom of the restaurant listing
Choosing dishes:
- Photos help more than text — most popular dishes have photos
- 辣 (là) = spicy, 不辣 = not spicy — worth knowing if you're heat-sensitive
- Some restaurants have a small English menu option or Google Translate has a camera mode that works reasonably well on menus
Payment: What Actually Works
The most reliable payment path for foreigners:
- Alipay with a foreign card → works on Eleme consistently
- WeChat Pay with a foreign card → works on Meituan consistently
- Direct international card on Meituan → works sometimes, not always
If you're getting payment errors, the issue is almost always one of:
- Your Alipay/WeChat Pay balance is too low (top it up first)
- The card linking wasn't completed properly
- Your bank blocked the transaction (check your bank app)
When the Delivery Rider Calls You
This happens. The rider is usually calling because:
- They can't find your building entrance
- The intercom isn't working
- They need a gate code
You have two options:
Option 1: Let it go to voicemail, then open the app and tap the "Contact Rider" chat function — you can send a text message instead of talking
Option 2: Simple phrase that covers most situations: 在门口等我 (zài ménkǒu děng wǒ) — "Wait for me at the entrance." Say it or type it into a translation app and show them.
For hotel deliveries, the simplest approach is to write in the delivery notes (备注/备注信息 section during checkout): "Please leave at hotel front desk" — then copy the Chinese: 请放在前台.
Common Problems and Fixes
"No restaurants available near me" Your address may not be entered correctly, or you're in an area with limited coverage. Try adjusting the pin on the map manually.
App stuck at registration If SMS verification isn't working with your number, try using a local SIM or registering through Alipay's built-in food delivery feature.
Order accepted but no rider assigned for 10+ minutes This occasionally happens during peak hours or bad weather. The app will either find a rider shortly or auto-cancel and refund you.
Food arrived cold Both apps have a "contact restaurant" and "report issue" function. For significant problems, you can request a partial refund through the app — tap Order → Report Issue.
Grocery and Convenience Delivery
Both Eleme and Meituan offer more than restaurant food:
- Convenience stores: 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, and local convenience chains are on both platforms — deliveries in 15-20 minutes
- Supermarket delivery (Meituan Maicai): Same-day grocery delivery available in most major cities
- Pharmacy: Some pharmacies are listed on Meituan — useful for OTC items
For foreigners staying more than a few days, this becomes genuinely useful for bottled water, snacks, and basic toiletries without having to go out.
Tipping and Etiquette
No tipping expected or required. This is standard across all food delivery in China — riders are compensated through platform fees. The small "add tip" option that appears in some versions of the app is optional and rarely used.
Leaving a rating (stars + optional comment) after delivery is normal and appreciated by riders. Even a quick 5-star tap takes 3 seconds.
What ChinaEasey Can Help With
If you're coming to China for an extended stay — including for medical treatment — and want practical setup help before or during your trip, ChinaEasey can help you get the apps you need working before you land. That includes Alipay setup, local SIM guidance, and making sure your payments infrastructure is in place so food delivery and everything else works from day one.
Summary
- Eleme pairs naturally with Alipay; Meituan pairs naturally with WeChat Pay
- Both require a Chinese phone number to register
- Once set up, ordering is mostly visual — you don't need to read Chinese to navigate
- Rider calls are common; have the "wait at entrance" phrase ready
- Both apps expand beyond food: groceries, convenience stores, pharmacies
If you have Alipay set up already, Eleme takes about 10 minutes to configure. If you're stuck on payment setup, sort that first — the food delivery part is easy once payment works.
For more on getting payments sorted in China, see our guide: How to Use Alipay Without a Chinese Bank Account.
For help navigating medical stays in China, including logistics planning, see: Medical Treatment in China for Foreigners.
Need more than the guide?
This guide covers the basics. If real-world friction shows up, you can compare the support options and choose the level of human backup that fits your trip.