How you to Order at a Chinese restaurant?

If you're visiting a Chinese-speaking country, you'll almost certainly dine at a Chinese restaurant. When you're ready, why not put them to the test on the employees of a nearby Chinese restaurant? Do you want another beer? Do you require additional rice? Do you want to pay separately? 

Making a Chinese restaurant order

When you go to a restaurant in China, you may usually select your table. You will only be seated by a waiter or waitress if you are in an excellent restaurant or if the restaurant is crowded and there appear to be no seats. The menu may already be on the table in certain places; otherwise, the waiter or waitress will deliver it to you as quickly as possible. Following your greeting, you may be asked one of the following questions...

Basic restaurant vocabulary

您要先喝点儿什么吗？- Nín yào xiān hēdiǎnr shénme ma？ - Would you like to order some drinks to start with?

您已经选好了吗？ - Nín yǐjīng xuǎnhǎole ma？- Have you chosen already?

您要点什么？- Nín yào diǎn shénme？- What would you like to order?

您要开胃菜吗？- Nín yào kāiwèicài ma？- Would you like an appetizer?

您要点菜吗？- Nín yào diǎncài ma？- Would you like to order?

您想吃点儿什么？- Nín xiǎng chīdiǎnr shénme？- What would you like to eat?

我要先点点儿喝的。- Wǒ yào xiān diǎndiǎnr hēde。- I'd like to order something to drink to start with.

我还不知道。- Wǒ hái bùzhīdào。- I don't know yet.

Getting extra practice speaking and mastering the peculiarities of pronunciation will help you to have lessons with a Chinese language teacher on the site. As a result of the studies, you will be more confident in your knowledge and your pronunciation.

Here are some foods and drinks you could find on the menu...

矿泉水 - kuàngquánshuǐ - Mineral water

果汁 - guǒzhī - Juice

啤酒 - píjiǔ - Beer

红葡萄酒 - hóngpútáojiǔ - Red wine

白葡萄酒 - báipútáojiǔ - White wine

香槟 - xiāngbīn - Champagne

甜点 - tiándiǎn - Dessert

蔬菜 - shūcài - Vegetables

土豆 - tǔdòu - Potatoes

鸡肉 - jīròu - Chicken

我要… - Wǒ yào… - I'll have…

我想要… - Wò xiǎngyào… - I would like…

结账。 - Jiézhàng。 - The bill, please.

The waiter or waitress will bring the bill to your table in China. Chinese folks traditionally do not share the bill. Instead, depending on the occasion, it is pretty typical in Chinese culture for the oldest or most respected person to pay for everyone at the table or for everyone in the group to try to pay for everything. It's amusing to witness a "fight" (or at least a heated debate) break out at each table near the conclusion of dinner because everyone is attempting to pay for the entire group. Of course, if someone "wins" and successfully pays for the whole group this time, the next time, it will be someone else's turn.

This is becoming less frequent among the younger generation. With its built-in apps, WeChat offers a "split the bills" option. So, knowing how to say the following phrases is still crucial, especially if you are dining out with international friends who may not share this practice.

一起付。 - Yīqǐ fù。 - Pay together.

分开付。 - Fēnkāi fù。 - Pay separately.

In Chinese restaurants, no one expects you to tip. Unless you are pleased with the meal and additional service, you are in a hurry and cannot be bothered by the change. In that scenario, the following statement will suffice.

小费 - xiǎofèi - tip

别找了，算小费吧。 - Bié zhǎole, suàn xiǎfèi ba。 - You can keep the change as tips.