How to use Dianping to find good food in China

Get it: app, mini-program, or neither

1. Search Dianping (大众点评) in your app store. You can register with a foreign phone number by picking your country code, or log in with WeChat.
2. Switch the interface language: 我的 (Me), the three-line menu at top right, 设置 (Settings), 语言 (Language), then English. Menus switch; most reviews and many shop names stay in Chinese.
3. No install? Open WeChat and search 大众点评 for the mini-program, then tap ··· and Translate to overlay the page in English. Fewer features, no extra account.
4. Meituan (美团) is the sister app for delivery and also lists restaurant deals. Inside Alipay, search 美团 to open its mini-program and pay with the card you already linked.

How to read a listing

1. The score is out of 5, shown as stars plus a decimal. Compare places on the same street, not across cities: a strong score in one neighbourhood can be average in another.
2. 人均 (per person) is the average spend reviewers report. It is the quickest way to tell a noodle shop from a banquet hall before you walk in.
3. Look at the photo tab, not the cover photo. Diner photos show the real portions and the dishes people actually order.
4. 推荐菜 (recommended dishes) lists what reviewers order most. Screenshot it and point at the pictures when you order.
5. 排队 (queue) or 取号 (take a number) on the page means the place gets busy. Go early, or take a number online before you arrive.

Find good food nearby

1. Allow location, then tap 附近 (Nearby) or 美食 (Food). Sort by 距离 (distance) or by rating, and filter by cuisine and price.
2. Look for 必吃榜 (Must-Eat List), Dianping's own yearly ranking built from reviews. Shops on it often show the badge in the app and a sticker at the door.
3. 黑珍珠 (Black Pearl) is Meituan-Dianping's restaurant guide, closer to a Michelin list. Diamond plaques by the door mean the place is on it: great for a special dinner, not a cheap lunch.
4. Offline trick: no signal or no app? Look at the door. A 必吃榜 or 黑珍珠 plaque, a queue of locals and a menu only in Chinese are all good signs.

Translate menus and reviews

1. Point Google Translate's camera (with the Chinese offline pack) at the screen or a paper menu. On iPhone you can also long-press text and tap Translate.
2. Reviews are mostly Chinese. You do not need to read them all: skim the photos, the 推荐菜 list and the most recent few reviews for complaints.

Save with group-buy deals (团购)

1. Many listings show 团购 deals: set meals or cash vouchers sold in the app, usually below the menu price. Buy before you sit down, then show the code when you pay.
2. Read the rules on each voucher: valid days and hours, whether it works at every branch, and whether you must book. Some exclude weekends or holidays.
3. Payment goes through Alipay or WeChat Pay with your foreign card. Unused vouchers can usually be refunded in the app; check the voucher terms before you buy.

Book a table or take a queue number

1. If the page shows 订座 (reserve), pick a time and party size. If it shows 排队 or 取号, take a number online and watch your place in the queue from the hotel.
2. Busy places call numbers in Chinese. Show your number to staff when you arrive, and keep the app open so you can see when you are close.

The one mistake

Trusting the score alone. A famous tourist spot can rate well and still be the most expensive meal of your trip. Check 人均, the diner photos and where the locals are queuing.

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