Dasher Diary: Lost in Translation: When DoorDash’s In-App Features Fail on the Streets of Amarillo

Sometimes, when you are out delivering in Amarillo, you encounter a language barrier. There are some delivery drivers who struggle with communicating with the restaurants, so I see a lot of drivers putting the phone up to the workers so they can see who they are picking up for.

It's just something you see a lot. There are times when a customer and driver speak different languages, and for the most part, the apps are pretty good at translating, so both ends can make sure they are on the same page.

When Technology Fails: The DoorDash Translation Lag

Recently, I encountered something I hadn't before. I had a delivery, and the drop-off instructions were all in Spanish. I’m not sure why the in-app translation failed, and with two different drop-offs scheduled, I didn't have a spare second to open a separate translator.

"NO TOCAR": Understanding Common Spanish Delivery Phrases

Some of it I could figure out, but there was a part that was in all caps that I couldn't. So I sent it to my daughter to see if she could help or at least take the time to put it in for translation.

This is the time when I wonder why I took French in high school and not Spanish. I had dreams of traveling to Paris, but that never happened. Spanish would have been much more beneficial, especially for this delivery.

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I knew it was something about delivering to apartment 276; it was that in all caps instructions I was unsure of. My daughter came to the rescue, explaining that the mystery phrase simply meant 'Do Not Touch.'

Navigating the Bilingual Streets of Amarillo as a Driver

I found those instructions amusing, as I had no plans to touch his food. I mean, with or without those instructions, I was good. I was just happy that I knew what he was instructing me to do for the most part.

It wasn't until after I had already picked up both orders that DoorDash finally offered a translation.

Thanks, DoorDash, for the timeliness of your translation. It would have been nice to have that information from the beginning.