Shopping and Dining at Shanghai Pudong Airport

Shanghai Pudong International Airport offers a wide range of shops and restaurants spread across Terminals 1 and 2, with options that cover everything from quick coffee to full Chinese meals and international brands like McDonald’s and Shake Shack. The choice is broad but scattered, so planning where to eat or shop based on your departure gate saves time and avoids last‑minute stress.

Dining options

Passengers can find Chinese, Western, Japanese, Korean and fast‑food outlets in both terminals, including well‑known chains such as McDonald’s, KFC, Starbucks and several local noodle and dumpling restaurants. Many eateries operate from early morning until late evening, roughly between 05:30 and 22:00, with some cafés and outlets staying open later depending on flight schedules.

If you want familiar international fast food, head toward McDonald’s or KFC in the public arrival or departure halls; for local flavors, look for noodle shops and dumpling restaurants in the restricted departure areas. Lines can be long at peak times, so allow at least 30–40 minutes before boarding if you plan to sit down for a meal.

Coffee, snacks and quick bites

Starbucks and similar coffee chains are located in several areas of both terminals, including near multiple international and domestic gates, serving coffee, sandwiches, cakes and light snacks. Smaller kiosks and snack bars sell drinks, instant noodles, packaged snacks and simple hot dishes, which are convenient if you have a short connection and cannot leave your gate area.

For a quick caffeine fix during a tight layover, use coffee chains near your boarding gate instead of walking back toward the main food courts. Keep some cash in yuan or a card ready, as prices at international chains are higher than in downtown Shanghai, but the service is usually faster and more standardized.

Local food experiences

Pudong Airport features Chinese restaurants and noodle houses where you can try regional dishes such as Suzhou‑style noodles, dumplings and rice dishes, as well as Chinese snacks and desserts. Japanese and Korean eateries are also present, offering options like ramen, rice bowls and bibimbap for travelers seeking Asian comfort food.

If you want a last taste of local cuisine before leaving China, choose one of the Chinese noodle or dumpling restaurants in the international departure area instead of defaulting to Western fast food. Menus commonly include pictures and some English, but checking prices in advance helps avoid surprises, as airport Chinese food can be more expensive than similar dishes in the city.

Shops and duty‑free

The airport has numerous duty‑free and retail outlets selling cosmetics, liquor, tobacco, fashion, accessories and travel essentials in the departure restricted areas. There are also convenience stores and small shops where you can buy bottled water, snacks, toiletries and last‑minute travel items such as power adapters or phone accessories.

For routine items like water and snacks, convenience stores are usually cheaper than duty‑free or branded kiosks, so look for those in the main concourses. If you plan significant duty‑free shopping, check your airline and destination rules on liquids and allowances before buying large quantities of alcohol or perfumes.Digital services and payments

Shanghai Pudong supports modern digital services such as the “PuLe GO” WeChat mini‑program, which lets passengers order meals and products from various airport vendors and have them delivered to areas near their departure gates, sometimes using robots. This is especially useful if you are in a hurry, traveling with children, or prefer not to leave your gate to search for food

If you use WeChat, open the “PuLe GO” mini‑program to browse restaurants and shops, check opening hours and place orders directly to your gate area. International credit cards and Visa/Mastercard are increasingly accepted at many airport restaurants and cafés, but not everywhere; having some cash in yuan or a mobile payment solution prepared is still recommended.

Late‑night and long layovers

Pudong Airport has expanded 24‑hour services, including round‑the‑clock customs, immigration and key facilities to support late‑night outbound flights. For overnight transits, there are designated “midnight stopover” rest areas with reclining seats, access to power, vending machines, 24‑hour convenience stores and some late‑night food outlets

If you arrive late at night, do not rely on all restaurants being open; instead, look for vending machines, convenience stores and the rest areas indicated in the terminal. For long layovers, eat a proper meal before midnight and then use the rest zones and 24‑hour shops for snacks and drinks until your next flight.

Practical money and time tips

Most travelers can pay for food and shopping using a mix of cash and cards, with many airport outlets accepting Visa and Mastercard, although some smaller places still prefer local payment methods. ATMs are available in the terminals for withdrawing yuan, which is useful if you want to buy from smaller shops or kiosks that may not take international cards.

For a short layover, withdraw a modest amount of yuan or ensure your bank card works in Chinese ATMs, so you are not limited if a restaurant does not accept foreign cards. Always keep an eye on boarding time when exploring dining and shopping areas, as walking distances at Pudong can be long and security queues can delay your return to the gate.