Paying the Bill in China: Cash, Card, WeChat and Alipay
Paying is the one part of eating in China where cash can genuinely slow you down. Street stalls and small restaurants often have no card machine at all, and the till is a QR code taped to the wall.
If you have WeChat Pay or Alipay set up before you fly, learn 扫码 (sǎo mǎ, scan the code). If you are relying on cash or a foreign card, learn 可以刷卡吗 — and be ready for the answer to be no.
Useful phrases
- 买单。The bill, please.
The all-purpose phrase at the end of a meal. Catch a server's eye and say it, or use it at the counter near the door.
- 结账。Check, please.
Same meaning as 买单, slightly more common in the north. Either one gets you the bill.
- 多少钱？How much?
The universal price question — also works at markets, taxis and ticket windows.
- 一共多少钱？How much altogether?
一共 (yīgòng) means in total. Use it when several dishes are on one bill.
- 可以刷卡吗？Can I pay by card?
刷卡 usually means a UnionPay card. Foreign Visa and Mastercard may not work — ask before you count on it.
- 可以用支付宝吗？Can I use Alipay?
Alipay takes foreign cards in many setups now, but confirm on your phone before you rely on it in a small shop.
- 可以用微信吗？Can I use WeChat Pay?
WeChat Pay is the number one method almost everywhere. Set it up and link a card before your trip.
- 扫码。Scan the code.
扫 is scan and 码 is code. Staff point at the QR code; you scan it and type the amount yourself, which is normal here.
- 现金。Cash.
Carry small notes. A 100-yuan bill can be hard to break in a busy noodle shop during the lunch rush.
- 可以打包吗？Can I take the leftovers away?
打包 (dǎbāo) means box it up. Expect a small charge for the container in some restaurants.
- 请给我发票。Could I have a receipt?
发票 (fāpiào) is the official tax receipt. Business travelers need it; small eateries often do not have one.
- 分开付。Pay separately.
分开 (fēnkāi) means separate. Handy when a group is splitting a shared meal down the middle.
- 我来付。I'll pay.
Saying this early settles the table. In China the person who invited tends to insist on paying, so expect a friendly argument over the bill.
- 零钱。Change (small notes and coins).
Repeat it when you hand over a large note and want the small bills back rather than left on the table.
Quick cultural tip
Tipping is not expected
There is no tipping culture in mainland China. Coins left on the table tend to confuse staff or get chased down the street after you, so skip it entirely.
The service charge you may spot on a bill appears only at upmarket hotels and a few fine-dining restaurants, and it is already included in the printed total.