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Meituan in China: Food Delivery & Local Deals

Food delivery, everyday essentials and dining deals, with a little preparation for your first order.

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Dinner after a long day out, fruit for your hotel room, or a set meal at a nearby restaurant: Meituan brings many everyday services into one app. It is especially useful when you want something delivered, with a little preparation for your first order.

At a glance

  • Best for: Food delivery, everyday essentials and dining deals.
  • Language: English support is listed in the official app stores; keep translation available for merchant content.
  • Set up first: Your login, a reachable phone number, delivery address and a working payment method.
On this page

What can you use Meituan for?

Order Food

Open 外卖 (food delivery) to browse restaurants serving your address. Think breakfast before a day out, noodles on a rainy evening, or drinks while you settle into your hotel. Check the estimated arrival time and final total before ordering.

Everyday Essentials

闪购 (instant shopping) covers nearby shops selling items such as snacks, drinks and toiletries. It can save a shopping trip when you have forgotten something. Selection and delivery estimates depend on your location and the shop.

Dining Deals

Look for 团购 (deals) when you plan to eat at a restaurant. These can be prepaid set meals or vouchers, rather than food delivered to your accommodation. Check the branch, included items, validity, booking requirements and refund terms before buying.

Explore Meituan

Find food delivery, shopping and local services.

Dining Deals

Compare restaurant vouchers and set-meal offers.

Buy Vouchers

Check the package and participating stores before buying.

Screenshots supplied by CTN and adapted for display. Some content remains in Chinese; prices, offers and availability may vary.

Set it up before your first order

Download the main Meituan app from the links on this page and complete the verification shown at sign-in. If your country code is offered, try your own number first. Test the full login process before relying on it for dinner; account access and a courier being able to reach you are separate things.4

The official Android listing now advertises English, Japanese, Korean and Simplified Chinese interfaces, and the iOS listing includes English. Update the app and look for its language setting. Keep your phone’s translation tool handy for any untranslated menu, deal condition or message.1, 2

At checkout, use an available payment option. Shanghai’s official delivery guide lists Alipay and WeChat Pay among the options, but your account and order determine what appears. Meituan also documents an overseas-card payment service with verification requirements. A linked card does not guarantee every transaction will succeed.3, 5

Ordering to your hotel

  1. Confirm the drop-off point.

    Ask reception whether deliveries go to the lobby, a collection shelf or another entrance.

  2. Enter the hotel’s Chinese name, correct branch and full address.

    Check the map pin and add your name and a reachable phone number.

  3. Choose your meal.

    Review portions, options, cutlery, fees and the final total.

  4. Add clear delivery instructions and pay.

    Only ask for reception drop-off if the hotel has agreed.

  5. Follow the order updates.

    Stay reachable and collect the delivery at the agreed point.

This note helps explain the plan, but does not replace a working contact number or the hotel’s delivery policy.

Meituan or Dianping?

For a visitor, a useful division is Dianping for choosing where to go and reading reviews, and Meituan for arranging delivery or checking a deal. Their features overlap, so you do not need both for every meal. Choose the one that handles the task you need.

If something does not work

Cannot complete sign-in?

Check the country code and follow the current verification prompt. If an SMS is required, confirm that your number can send or receive it as instructed. If access still fails, use the official help options; ask your hotel about another way to order in the meantime.

Payment declined?

Check whether the order already shows as paid before trying again. Complete any bank or identity verification request, or choose another payment method offered at checkout. Our How to Pay in China guide covers further troubleshooting.

Courier cannot find you?

Open the order’s contact or help option, confirm the entrance and show reception the order screen. Do not assume the courier can reach your room.

Wrong, missing or delayed items?

Use the affected order’s help option and explain the issue. Keep photos where useful and check the available cancellation or refund terms; an instant refund is not guaranteed.

Our take

Meituan is worth adding when delivery will make your trip easier, especially during a longer stay. Get the address and payment ready once, and your first order becomes much less of a puzzle.

Sources & Updates

Sources checked on 26 October 2026. This guide is based on published information, not a visitor-account test. Language coverage, verification, payment, delivery and deal conditions can vary; follow the current app prompts, merchant terms and hotel policy.

Sources by section and question