When it comes to essential apps in China, a food delivery app is a must! In China there are two big main contenders which are Meituan Waimai (美团外卖 Měi tuán wàimài) and Eleme (饿了么 Èle me). Eleme This has a very similar set up to Meituan Waimai. To be honest there is very little difference between the two apps and which one you decide to use will normally come down to personal preference. Since 2018 Eleme was acquired by the Alibaba Group so it’s no surprise that it’s the big rival of Tencent backed Meituan Waimai. No doubt, you will have seen their blue uniformed drivers dashing around the city on their scooters. Like Meituan Waimai, Eleme has a wide variety of food available. Delivering for those big food brands and also local, independent restaurants as well. On the homepage you can click on the food (美食 Měishí) icon which will take you through to a list of restaurants. These are generally restaurants located about 5-6km away. Just like Meituan Waimai you also have the option to search for the food you want instead. If there is a certain dish you’re looking for e.g. noodles (面条 miàntiáo) then it may be useful to learn some basic Chinese characters found in menus. This will enable you to search directly for what you want. Along with food Eleme also has a store (卖场 màichǎng) option, food market (菜场 càichǎng) option and pharmacy (药店 yàodiàn) option. The other main icon is the “errand” (跑腿 pǎotuǐ) option. This has two main functions. One is getting a “helper” to assist you in buying and delivering a specific item to you. The other main feature is using them as a delivery service (快递 kuàidì express delivery). One other useful thing about the Eleme app is that you can actually access it through the AliPay app. This is great if you already use AliPay and don’t want to clutter your phone with another app. Delivery fees: About the same as Meituan Waimai, normally about 5 CNY. Again, this can vary and can sometimes be free or a very small amount. Discounts: Many restaurants offer daily deals which are displayed at the top of their menu. You’ll also be given a coupon to share with friends when you check out. Once shared the coupon is also available to you. How to Use Eleme Set up your profile. You’ll need a Chinese phone number and will be asked to confirm it with a code. Input your address. Again, if you don’t read Chinese this can be a little tricky, but see the translated screenshot for some guidance. Alternatively as a Chinese friend or colleague to help. Find what you want to order by clicking on the various icons and looking through the list. Or search directly for what you’re looking for. Go to check out. Press the green check out (去结算 qù jiésuàn) button at the bottom. Pay. Check over your order and confirm by pressing the check out (去结算 qù jiésuàn) button again. This takes you through to the payment options. You can choose either Alipay (the default method) or change it to WeChat Pay. Finished! Your food is on it’s way, most orders take around 30 minutes to arrive. |
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