Ordering Food in Chinese | HSK Study Notes

A restaurant is the easiest place to start speaking Chinese, because the script barely changes. You are seated, you order, you eat, you pay. Learn the handful of sentences that carry each step and you can get through a whole meal without improvising a single long sentence.

Pointing at the menu does most of the work. Your job is to add one short phrase to the pointing — a quantity, a preference, a question — so the staff know what you actually want.

Getting a table

Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning
几位？	Jǐ wèi?	How many people?
两位。	Liǎng wèi.	Two, please.
有位子吗？	Yǒu wèizi ma?	Do you have a table?
要等多久？	Yào děng duō jiǔ?	How long is the wait?

几位 (jǐ wèi) is almost always the first thing you hear. Answer with the number alone: 一位 (yí wèi), 两位 (liǎng wèi), 三位 (sān wèi). Note that “two” here is 两 (liǎng), not 二 (èr) — 两 is the form used before a measure word.

To get someone’s attention, 服务员 (fúwùyuán), “waiter”, said clearly across the room is normal and not rude in mainland China. Adding 你好 (nǐ hǎo) first sounds friendlier.

Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning
有菜单吗？	Yǒu càidān ma?	Do you have a menu?
有英文菜单吗？	Yǒu Yīngwén càidān ma?	Is there an English menu?
有图片吗？	Yǒu túpiàn ma?	Are there pictures?
我想点菜。	Wǒ xiǎng diǎn cài.	I’d like to order.
你推荐什么？	Nǐ tuījiàn shénme?	What do you recommend?

Many restaurants in mainland China have moved to 扫码点餐 (sǎomǎ diǎncān), “scan the code to order”: you scan a 二维码 (èrwéimǎ), “QR code”, on the table and order inside a WeChat mini-program. These menus are usually Chinese-only and assume you have a WeChat account with a payment method linked, so it is worth knowing how to opt out:

我扫不了码，可以看纸菜单吗？ (Wǒ sǎo bu liǎo mǎ, kěyǐ kàn zhǐ càidān ma?) — I can’t scan the code, could I see a paper menu?
可以帮我点吗？ (Kěyǐ bāng wǒ diǎn ma?) — Could you order for me?

A photo menu is your friend. 有图片吗？ (Yǒu túpiàn ma?) is a fair question and staff are used to it.

Ordering: point, then add one detail

我要这个。 (Wǒ yào zhège.) — I’ll have this one.
来一份这个。 (Lái yí fèn zhège.) — One portion of this, please.
我们要两碗米饭。 (Wǒmen yào liǎng wǎn mǐfàn.) — Two bowls of rice, please.
再来一瓶水。 (Zài lái yì píng shuǐ.) — Another bottle of water, please.

The measure word changes with the container: 一份 (yí fèn) for a portion, 一碗 (yì wǎn) for a bowl, 一瓶 (yì píng) for a bottle, 一杯 (yì bēi) for a glass. If these still feel random, how to learn measure words sorts the common ones by what they attach to.

Two habits that make ordering easier than it looks in English:

Chinese nouns have no article and no plural ending, but the demonstrative carries a measure word: 这个 (zhège) is “this one”, singular. For several items say 我要这些 (wǒ yào zhèxiē), “I’ll have these”, or give a number: 来两份 (lái liǎng fèn), “two portions, please.”
来 (lái), literally “come”, works as a casual “bring me” when you order. 来一份 (lái yí fèn) is what people around you will be saying.

Adding a dish, or cancelling one

再加一个这个。 (Zài jiā yí ge zhège.) — One more of these, please.
再来一份米饭。 (Zài lái yí fèn mǐfàn.) — Another portion of rice, please.
刚才点的那个不要了，可以吗？ (Gāngcái diǎn de nàge bú yào le, kěyǐ ma?) — I’d like to drop the dish I just ordered, is that all right?
还能取消吗？ (Hái néng qǔxiāo ma?) — Can it still be cancelled?

Whether a dish can be cancelled depends on the kitchen, so ask early; 已经做了 (yǐjīng zuò le), “it’s already been cooked”, is the answer you may get. This matters most with QR ordering, where confirming in the app sends the order straight to the kitchen: to change it, speak to the staff rather than tapping around the screen.

Spicy, and the other kind of spicy

English uses one word where Chinese uses two, and the difference is worth knowing before your first Sichuan meal:

辣 (là) is chilli heat — the burn you already know.
麻 (má) is the tingling numbness of Sichuan pepper. 麻辣 (málà) is both at once.

Restaurants often let you pick a level: 微辣 (wēi là), mildly spicy, 中辣 (zhōng là), medium, 特辣 (tè là), extra spicy.

不要辣。 (Bú yào là.) — No chilli at all.
少放辣。 (Shǎo fàng là.) — Go easy on the chilli.
微辣，谢谢。 (Wēi là, xièxie.) — Mildly spicy, thank you.
这个辣吗？ (Zhège là ma?) — Is this dish spicy?

Learners often say 少辣 (shǎo là) meaning “not spicy” and are surprised by what arrives. If you genuinely cannot handle chilli, say 不要辣 (bú yào là) — it is unambiguous.

Allergies and things you don’t eat

Herbs and specific ingredients are easier to refuse than to explain:

不要香菜。 (Bú yào xiāngcài.) — No coriander, please.
不要葱。 (Bú yào cōng.) — No spring onion, please.
我不吃猪肉。 (Wǒ bù chī zhūròu.) — I don’t eat pork.
我吃素。 (Wǒ chī sù.) — I’m vegetarian.
这个里面有什么？ (Zhège lǐmiàn yǒu shénme?) — What’s in this dish?

For a real allergy, do not rely on a spoken sentence you have just learned. Say it, then show it in writing:

我对花生过敏。 (Wǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐn.) — I’m allergic to peanuts.
我对海鲜过敏，吃了会很危险。 (Wǒ duì hǎixiān guòmǐn, chī le huì hěn wēixiǎn.) — I’m allergic to seafood; eating it would be dangerous for me.

Keep that second sentence saved on your phone in Chinese characters and show the screen. A dish cooked in shared oil or stock may still contain what you are avoiding, so ask 这个里面有…吗？ (Zhège lǐmiàn yǒu … ma?) about the specific ingredient rather than asking a general question.

Note that 素 (sù), “vegetarian”, is often understood as “no meat” while broth, lard or a little minced pork may still be involved. If it matters, name what must not be in the dish.

Paying

买单。 (Mǎidān.) — The bill, please.
结账。 (Jiézhàng.) — The bill, please. (Equally common.)
可以刷卡吗？ (Kěyǐ shuākǎ ma?) — Can I pay by card?
可以用手机支付吗？ (Kěyǐ yòng shǒujī zhīfù ma?) — Can I pay by phone?
这个多少钱？ (Zhège duōshao qián?) — How much is this one?
一共多少钱？ (Yígòng duōshao qián?) — How much is it altogether?
我们AA吧。 (Wǒmen AA ba.) — Let’s split the bill.

Three things that surprise visitors to mainland China:

Phone payment is the default. 微信 (Wēixìn), WeChat, and 支付宝 (Zhīfùbǎo), Alipay, are what most people use; smaller places may not take foreign cards at all. Ask 可以刷外国卡吗？ (Kěyǐ shuā wàiguó kǎ ma?) before you order if you are relying on a card.
Tipping is not customary. No calculation, no awkward pause. 不用找了 (bú yòng zhǎo le), “keep the change”, exists but is not expected.
Cold tap water is not served. You will be offered 茶 (chá), tea, or 热水 (rèshuǐ), hot water. If you want it cold, ask 有冰水吗？ (Yǒu bīngshuǐ ma?)

In some restaurants, especially Cantonese ones, a small per-person charge for tea and the table setting appears on the bill as 茶位费 (chá wèi fèi). It is normal rather than a scam, but you can ask in advance: 有服务费吗？ (Yǒu fúwùfèi ma?), “is there a service charge?”

Places where you assemble the meal yourself

Two very common formats work differently from ordering finished dishes.

火锅 (huǒguō), hot pot. You first choose the 锅底 (guōdǐ), the broth base, then order raw ingredients and cook them at the table.

我要鸳鸯锅。 (Wǒ yào yuānyāng guō.) — The split pot, please. (One half spicy, one half plain.)
微辣的锅底。 (Wēi là de guōdǐ.) — A mildly spicy base, please.
这个怎么煮？ (Zhège zěnme zhǔ?) — How long does this need in the pot?

The split pot is the safest first order: you can taste the spicy side without committing the whole meal to it.

串串 (chuànchuàn), skewers. You pick skewers yourself from a fridge and are charged by the number of sticks at the end, so keep them on the table rather than throwing them away.

按签子算钱吗？ (Àn qiānzi suàn qián ma?) — Do you charge by the skewer?
一根多少钱？ (Yì gēn duōshao qián?) — How much is one skewer?

Some places instead hand you a paper list to tick: 在纸上勾就可以吗？ (Zài zhǐ shàng gōu jiù kěyǐ ma?), “do I just tick the sheet?”

When something goes wrong

不好意思，这不是我点的。 (Bù hǎoyìsi, zhè bú shì wǒ diǎn de.) — Excuse me, this isn’t what I ordered.
我点的是这个。 (Wǒ diǎn de shì zhège.) — What I ordered is this one.
我们的菜还没上。 (Wǒmen de cài hái méi shàng.) — Our food hasn’t arrived yet.
可以打包吗？ (Kěyǐ dǎbāo ma?) — Could I take the rest away?

不好意思 (bù hǎoyìsi) at the front softens everything that follows; it is the everyday “excuse me” for raising a small problem. 打包 (dǎbāo), boxing up leftovers, is completely normal and worth asking for — portions are often larger than they look.

A full meal, start to finish

Server: 几位？
(Jǐ wèi?)
You: 两位。有菜单吗？
(Liǎng wèi. Yǒu càidān ma?)
Server: 请扫码点餐。
(Qǐng sǎomǎ diǎncān.)
You: 我扫不了码，可以帮我点吗？我要这个，微辣。
(Wǒ sǎo bu liǎo mǎ, kěyǐ bāng wǒ diǎn ma? Wǒ yào zhège, wēi là.)
Server: 好的，还要别的吗？
(Hǎo de, hái yào biéde ma?)
You: 再来一碗米饭，不要香菜。
(Zài lái yì wǎn mǐfàn, bú yào xiāngcài.)
You (later): 服务员，买单。可以用手机支付吗？
(Fúwùyuán, mǎidān. Kěyǐ yòng shǒujī zhīfù ma?)

Read that dialogue out loud a few times with the tones. It is short, but it contains the whole meal, and the same six or seven sentence patterns will carry you through any restaurant you walk into.

Practice it in the right order

Seating and quantity: 几位 (jǐ wèi), 两位 (liǎng wèi), 一份 (yí fèn).
Ordering by pointing plus one detail: 我要这个，不要辣 (wǒ yào zhège, bú yào là).
Paying: 买单 (mǎidān) and one payment question.

Everything else is a variation on those three. If the numbers are the part that slows you down, numbers in Chinese is worth ten minutes before your next meal out.

Related: complaints and refunds when the problem is bigger than a wrong dish, and shopping for the same ask-then-decide pattern.

By the end of this chapter, you can say

我要这个。不要辣。 (Wǒ yào zhège. Bú yào là.)

Practical note for this chapter

From arrival to transport, meals, housing and getting help when something changes. In this chapter, practice giving a short response and then checking what matters.

Use it in context

A: 您想吃什么？ (Nín xiǎng chī shénme?)
B: 我要这个。不要辣。 (Wǒ yào zhège. Bú yào là.)

Phrase map for this chapter

Question or situation: 您想吃什么？ (Nín xiǎng chī shénme?)
Central response: 我要这个。不要辣。 (Wǒ yào zhège. Bú yào là.)
Another natural way to say it: 这个菜可以少放一点辣吗？ (Zhège cài kěyǐ shǎo fàng yìdiǎn là ma?); Use this variation in a situation you genuinely expect to handle.
How to use it: Listen to the model once, then say it again with one detail from your own situation.

Turn the model into three conversation turns

1. Open the situation您想吃什么？ (Nín xiǎng chī shénme?)
2. Say the central response我要这个。不要辣。 (Wǒ yào zhège. Bú yào là.)
3. Add an alternative这个菜可以少放一点辣吗？ (Zhège cài kěyǐ shǎo fàng yìdiǎn là ma?)

Before acting, check the point most likely to cause a misunderstanding. This dialogue is for practice. For important decisions, confirm official guidance as well.

A useful variation

Keep the same purpose, then change the person, time or place to make it your own.

这个菜可以少放一点辣吗？ (Zhège cài kěyǐ shǎo fàng yìdiǎn là ma?)

Use this variation in a situation you genuinely expect to handle.

Listen to the model once, then say it again with one detail from your own situation.

A common trap

For important details, do not decide from what you think you heard; check written information when needed.

点菜时先说菜名，再说辣度、忌口或数量。 (Diǎn cài shí xiān shuō càimíng, zài shuō làdù, jìkǒu huò shùliàng.)

This dialogue is for practice. For important decisions, confirm official guidance as well.

Three-step practice

Open the situation in one short phrase
Say the central response
Add one detail of your own

Ordering Food in Chinese — From Being Seated to Paying the Bill