Food Delivery to Your Hotel or Apartment in China: 2026 Foreigner's Setup

Yes, food delivery to your hotel or apartment works well, but skip the standalone Meituan and Ele.me apps. Both demand a Chinese phone number for sign-up and break on foreign cards. The clean path in 2026 is to open Alipay, search Meituan or Ele.me (now rebranded as Taobao Flash Purchase), tap into the mini-program, and order from there. Your foreign Visa or Mastercard linked to Alipay TourCard handles payment. Delivery fees run ¥3 to ¥10, minimum orders are usually ¥20 to ¥30, and food arrives in 30 to 45 minutes for most urban addresses. The interface is mostly Chinese, but Alipay's built-in translation button now covers menus and the rider's call. Three operational quirks matter for foreign visitors. Most upscale hotels block riders at the lobby for security; you'll get a phone call and need to come down. A growing number of 5-star hotels in Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen use delivery robots that bring food to your room automatically. In gated apartment compounds, the rider often stops at the gatehouse and you walk out to meet them. Save your address as Chinese characters in the app (ask the hotel reception to type it) so the rider's GPS routes correctly. Tipping is not expected. Cash is impossible; the system runs on Alipay or WeChat Pay only. Watch the smiley-face hygiene rating on each restaurant card and skip the frowning ones.