Stay with the group meal when you want an easy day and a table already waiting for you. Ask for a free meal or an upgrade when your group has different tastes, dietary needs or a plan of its own. The trick is to agree the details with the tour leader before the day starts, not at the restaurant door.
It is a common moment among friends. One person wants the local noodles, another is tired, and a third has read about a famous restaurant nearby.
When does the set meal make sense?
Choose the set meal when time is tight. It is quick to serve, it fits the coach timetable and it usually costs less per head than ordering for yourselves. It also suits groups with seniors, because nobody has to search for a table.
Set meals are less comfortable for fussy eaters, Muslim travellers who need to check ingredients, and groups who want a late dinner.
What does an upgrade actually mean?
An upgrade usually means a different restaurant, a larger spread or an extra dish, paid for on top of the package. The guide should tell you the additional cost per person before anyone orders.
Ask these three questions:
- What is the extra amount per person, and in which currency?
- Does it replace the set meal, or do we pay for both?
- Who collects the money, and do we get a receipt?
How do you handle a free meal?
A free meal is an evening or a lunch the package leaves to you. Treat it as a gift of time, not a gift of money.
Before you rely on it, check that your quote does not charge for a group meal you will skip. Our meals included guide shows how to read the lines. If you want to put numbers on the meals you will buy yourself, use the daily food budget guide.
What if you eat on your own?
Tell the guide in advance, so the restaurant is not left with an empty seat. Pick a place close to the hotel or pickup point, keep the hotel name in Chinese on your phone, and note the time the coach leaves.
Drinks and extras can surprise you in a restaurant of your own choice, so read what costs extra at China meals first. Muslim travellers may find the halal meal surcharge guide useful.
What should the group agree before booking?
Decide together how many meals you want to keep. A group that agrees early avoids the awkward evening when half the table wants to leave. Then use the package comparator to compare quotes on the same meal basis.
The costs topic page collects every money question in one place, and the guide to comparing quotations beyond the headline fare shows how to line up two offers fairly.