China · Food & Groceries

Meituan

Meituan is China’s main app for food delivery, restaurant reviews and local deals, and visitors can order to a hotel by linking a foreign card or paying through Alipay or WeChat Pay.

What it helps with

Ordering food delivery to a hotel in ChinaRestaurants of almost every kind deliver through Meituan within about half an hour in big cities, tracked on a map.
Finding a restaurant with real reviewsMeituan includes Dianping reviews, photos and set-meal deals for restaurants, so you can compare places before going.
Paying with a foreign bank cardAn international bank card can be linked directly in the app, or payment can go through Alipay or WeChat Pay with a linked card.

About Meituan

Meituan combines food and grocery delivery with Dianping restaurant reviews, set-meal deals and bookings for local services. Foreign visitors can register with an international phone number and link an international bank card directly, or pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay. The app itself is only in Chinese; the Meituan mini program inside WeChat can be translated with WeChat’s built-in function. At checkout, a mainland Chinese phone number is required so the rider can call.

Key Features

Food delivery: Meals from nearby restaurants arrive in about 30 minutes in big cities.
Dianping reviews: Ratings, photos and dishes help choose a restaurant.
Group deals: Discounted set meals and vouchers for restaurants and services.
Several payment options: Linked foreign card, Alipay or WeChat Pay.

How to Get Started

Install Meituan or open the Meituan mini program in WeChat or Alipay.
Register with your phone number and link a bank card, Alipay or WeChat Pay.
Enter the delivery address in Chinese, for example the hotel address from your booking.
Order, give a mainland phone number for the rider and follow the delivery on the map.

Before you use it

Sign-up: Sign-up works with a foreign number, but checkout asks for a mainland Chinese phone number for the rider; hotel staff often lend theirs.
Good to know: The app has no English interface; the Meituan mini program inside WeChat can be translated with WeChat’s translate function.
Limits: Restaurant search works only in Chinese characters or pinyin, and some shops set a minimum order amount.

Foreign card OK

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Meituan work with a foreign bank card in China?: Yes - Meituan accepts foreign-issued cards in China.
Is Meituan available in English?: Not officially - the interface is mainly in the local language.
Do I need a local phone number to use Meituan?: No, an international phone number generally works for Meituan.
Do I need local ID or residency for Meituan?: No, Meituan doesn't require local ID or residency for visitors.
Where can I use Meituan?: iOS · Android
How much does Meituan cost?: Free app; you pay the menu price plus a delivery fee per order