When you make the decision to be a delivery driver in Amarillo you picture how it will go. You think this is going to be easy. You accept an order. You drive to pick it up and then you drive to drop it off. So easy. Right? Until you throw in other factors.

There are issues with driving around town because you know there is always going to be construction. There are times you get stuck waiting on the train that will never end. We have snow to deal with but don't forget the joys of rain and flooding in Amarillo.

Every day there is something different. Oh, and let's get into the long wait times sometimes at restaurants. I had a recent pick-up at a fast food restaurant near Tascosa High School and then I had to drop off the food to the high school.

It should be an easy pick-up and drop-off. Or so I thought. I got to the restaurant and was told they would have the food for me soon. The place was overrun with high school students so it was crazy.

They gave me the drink and then I continued to wait. Another dasher came in and we had time to chat for a bit. He got his food and was on his way. I was still waiting. The counter lady told me again my food should be out soon. Then she went out to clean up the now empty dining room after the high school kids headed out.

I messaged the customer:

credit: DoorDash/Melissa Bartlett
credit: DoorDash/Melissa Bartlett
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You are supposed to let the customer know if the food is taking too long. So I did that. Luckily he was understanding. Then, I think he even started getting frustrated. Even though I kept asking I then heard an employee on the phone with him.

This employee asked another if his food was made. I told them that no, I was still waiting for it. So they apologized and said they would get it made quickly. Another ten or fifteen minutes pass and I am still communicating with the customer.

credit: DoorDash/Melissa Bartlett
credit: DoorDash/Melissa Bartlett
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Luckily I was getting paid by time so I was making money while I waited. I was just frustrated for my customer. The time I was supposed to have the food picked up was 1:16 pm and delivered by 1:23 pm. Here it was 1:41 pm and I was still waiting.

So I knew DoorDash was going to question this delivery so I made a request of my customer during this process.

credit: DoorDash/Melissa Bartlett
credit: DoorDash/Melissa Bartlett
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I finally got the food and drove over to the school. I found my customer right where he told me he would be. I apologized again and ended the delivery. I started to head back to the area I like to pick up from when a screen from DoorDash popped up. Just as I suspected.

credit: DoorDash/Melissa Bartlett
credit: DoorDash/Melissa Bartlett
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So apparently DoorDash was not happy with that delivery. To be fair neither was I. I am glad I had talked to my customer and asked him to vouch for me if he got a call. Apparently he did. I didn't know my delivery was under review until I got this notification that it was no longer under review.

So, yeah, thank you DoorDash with not keeping an open line of communication like you expect us to do with our customers. Luckily it all worked out. Just know that when you think it is going to be a quick and easy delivery it might just not be.

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