Meituan (美团) and Dianping (大众点评): finding food and deals in China

Meituan and Dianping: what each one does

Meituan (美团) is China's everyday-services platform: food delivery, group-buy restaurant vouchers, and some hotel and ticket bookings. Dianping (大众点评) is the review and ranking app that locals use to decide where to eat.

The two are linked: the same restaurant often has a review page on Dianping and offers on Meituan. A simple way to think of it for a visitor is Dianping to choose and Meituan to order or buy a deal.

Using Dianping to find restaurants

• Search by shop name or food type in Chinese, such as 火锅 (hotpot) or 烤鸭 (roast duck).
• Look at the rating, number of reviews and real customer photos.
• Open the shop page for the map, address and, in some cases, queue status.
• Use the city ranking lists to find places locals favour.

Which version opens and how much of it appears in English can vary by device, and parts of the app may be Chinese only. Check the app before you go and keep a translation app ready for reviews and menus.

In big cities such as Shanghai, Beijing or Chengdu, many restaurants sit inside shopping malls, with dining floors on the upper levels. Dianping shows the floor and entrance of a mall restaurant, which saves walking around, and some shops use online queue tickets that you take in the app or at the door.

Meituan: app or mini-program

Meituan has its own app and mini-programs that open from WeChat or Alipay. Visitors who do not want to create several new accounts often start with a mini-program because it ties into the payment method already set up, but features and availability can differ, so check the current options.

Ordering delivery to your hotel

1. 1Enter the hotel address in ChineseCopy the address and building name from your booking and add the room number or guest name if the app asks.
2. 2Pick the shop and dishesCheck the photos and descriptions; use camera translation if you cannot read them.
3. 3Check delivery time and handoverChoose handover at the reception desk, since some hotels do not let couriers go up to rooms.
4. 4Pay and wait for the callThe courier may call or message on arrival; tell the front desk in advance.

Some hotels use delivery robots to carry orders to the room. If staff say the courier left the food at the lobby, go down at the agreed time. If you are unsure about the hotel's policy, ask the desk before you order.

How group-buy deals work

Many restaurants sell vouchers in advance through Meituan, such as set meals or discount coupons. You pay in the app, then show a code or QR for staff to scan at the shop. Prices and terms change often, so read them in the app on the day you buy rather than relying on any figure from an article.

• Check the voucher is valid at the branch you will visit, since chains have many branches.
• See whether you must book ahead and which meal periods it covers.
• Keep a screenshot of the QR in case the signal is weak inside the shop.

Ele.me as an alternative

Ele.me (饿了么) is another major delivery platform in China, reachable through Alipay. Comparing both apps for shops and delivery times is useful, as some shops appear on only one of them.

App summary table and foreigner friendliness

Translation and practical tips

• Use camera translation on Chinese menus and app screens.
• Screenshot the shop name and dishes you want to show staff when you visit in person.
• If you buy a group-buy voucher, read the terms, dates and valid time slots before paying.
• Keep a fallback of walking in, since many shops take Alipay or WeChat Pay.

Payment in these apps relies on Alipay or WeChat Pay set up as described in the China card guide, and you need data throughout. Open the apps before you travel, since nobody can guarantee every app on every network.

If you travel as a group, pick one person to hold the account and payment method for all orders. This avoids confusion over pickup codes and courier contact, and you can split the cost between yourselves later.

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