Is a Meituan Membership Worth It? The Ele.me Math Too
TL;DR — 30-second version
A ¥15-a-month membership card earns its keep off exactly one number: the coupon minimum. Meituan and Ele.me both sell you a packet of red envelopes (hongbao), five or six coupons worth ¥6 to ¥7 each, and every coupon needs a basket of ¥35 to ¥40 before it works. Order big or order often, and the card pays for itself. Order small, and you are donating. A month of your receipts settles which side you are on.
The short answer
The short answer: yes, if you order delivery twice a week or more and your usual basket clears the coupon minimum. Ele.me’s plan runs the same coupons with the same catch. Order once a week and the numbers almost never work in your favor. It is a volume discount that only discounts when you hit the volume.
What you are actually buying
Both apps sell the same thing: a monthly coupon pack, around ¥15 (first month cheaper, ¥8 to ¥12, to get you in). You get five or six hongbao (red envelopes), each worth roughly ¥6 off orders over ¥35 to ¥40, most expiring within a week. Some months the app adds a shenquan (super coupon) for big baskets — ¥15 off ¥80 is a common shape — plus small delivery-fee vouchers. It is a prepaid stack of conditions, not a discount on everything.
The math on three order sizes
Say the card costs ¥15 and the pack holds six coupons worth ¥6 off a ¥38 order (minima differ by city and shop).
- Basket of ¥25. The coupon does not even activate. You paid for the card and got nothing back.
- Basket of ¥40. ¥6 off minus the ¥3 to ¥5 delivery fee, and you are roughly at in-store price. Six such orders: ¥36 saved on a ¥15 card.
- Basket of ¥80. Coupon plus a shenquan, in months that promotion runs — savings of ¥15 to ¥20 per order. Two of those cover the card for the month.
The membership is a bet on basket size, not on how often you order.
Meituan vs Ele.me: where they actually differ
On price they are twins — both around ¥15 a month, both coupon packs with minima. The differences are practical. Meituan (Meituan Waimai, “Meituan takeout”) has wider restaurant coverage and faster riders in most tier-two cities, so most expats keep it as default. Ele.me belongs to Alibaba, sits neatly inside Alipay, and its coupons occasionally stack with Alipay’s monthly deals. Neither is better; pick whichever finishes your standard order with the smaller total, and keep the other for its newcomer discounts.
The four traps that eat the savings
- Seven-day expiry. Coupons die fast; one busy week wipes the pack. Set a reminder on renewal day.
- Minimum-order creep. That ¥6 coupon needs ¥38 of food. Suddenly you are adding a drink to make the number work — and the drink is the real cost.
- Auto-renewal at full price. Many sign up at the ¥8 teaser and never look again; next month charges ¥15. The off switch lives deep in the profile settings — find it the day you subscribe.
- Member-priced items. Some shops show members a higher item price and let the coupon bring it back to normal, so check the same shop in the other app once — the gap is often bigger than you would think.
The one-month test
Skip the reviews — run the test. Subscribe at the discounted first-month rate. Screenshot totals before and after each coupon. Use all six envelopes or watch them expire. Day thirty: add it up. Saved more than the card cost? Keep it, and calendar the renewal price. If not, cancel from the same settings screen and walk away. You will know which side you are on within an hour — the math is short and the numbers are your own.
When to just say no
Skip the card if: you order once a week; your regular shop is a ten-minute walk away (walking beats both fee and coupon); you order for two, since one card covers the group; or you live off one favorite shop, which cannot feed six coupons.
Quick answers
Q: How much does the Meituan membership cost? A: Roughly ¥15 a month, with a cheaper first month and automatic renewal at the standard rate after. Figures vary by city and promotion, so check inside the app.
Q: Does Ele.me have its own membership? A: Yes — a similar coupon pack with order minima for about ¥15 a month, occasionally stacking with Alipay deals. Running both memberships at once rarely makes sense.
Q: When does this kind of card pay for itself? A: At two or more weekly orders with baskets above the coupon minimum, usually ¥35 to ¥40. Below that frequency, you lose money.
Q: Can I cancel after the first month? A: Yes, anytime from the profile settings, and unused coupons stay valid. Unsure? Subscribe, cancel at once, and let real orders decide later.
Editorial review: EasternReset Team · Snapshot: 2026-09. Found an error? Tell us.