How to find the perfect restaurant in China with Meituan
When you want to dine like a local
Maybe you just sealed a business deal and it’s time to celebrate. Or maybe you’re visiting but don’t feel like going to a tourist trap. Whatever the reason, there are times when you’re traveling in China that you might want to find a restaurant that’s not straight out of a guidebook.
In this instalment of the China Tech Survival Guide, we show you how to find and reserve the perfect restaurant, no matter which Chinese city you are in, using Meituan -- one of the country’s most popular multi-purpose apps.
Meituan Dianping: Settle all your local needs on one app
BEFORE WE START
First of all, the app is only available in Chinese. It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to get McDonald’s or Peking duck -- everything is written in Chinese. So unless you want to judge your prospective restaurant solely on photos, be sure to have a translation app ready on your phone, like Google Translate or Microsoft Translator.
You’ll also notice that Meituan offers food delivery service. Unfortunately, that service is not available to people without a Chinese bank account. You can, however, still make restaurant reservations.
Still hungry? Let’s get started!