Ordering a Meal in The Uber App, Thursday, May 14, 2026

Workshop Name Changes

Ali and Siena announced upcoming rebranding of the Textravaganza workshop series.

Details
- Siena: Confirmed the “Textravaganza” name will be retained as the overarching brand.
- Siena: The Wednesday workshop will be renamed “Textravaganza Afternoons.”
- Siena: The monthly Thursday evening workshop will be renamed “Textravaganza Evenings.”
- Ali: Confirmed the schedule and format remain the same.
Conclusion
- “Textravaganza Afternoons” = Wednesday sessions.
- “Textravaganza Evenings” = monthly second-Thursday sessions.

Uber Eats Accessibility Tutorial (Main Session Content)

Siena conducted a live, screen-shared VoiceOver demonstration of the Uber Eats ordering experience within the main Uber app on iPhone. The tutorial walked through the full ordering flow from browsing to checkout.

Details
- Siena: Explained that Uber Eats exists both as a standalone app and as a tab within the main Uber app; demonstrated using the integrated Uber app.
- Palmer: Asked whether Uber and Uber Eats are one app or two — Siena clarified both options exist and recommended the standalone app for users who only use Uber Eats.
- Siena: Demonstrated navigating the app’s bottom tabs: Uber (rides), Eats, Courier, and Shops.
- Siena: Used the Search Uber Eats field to search for “Swiss Chalet,” yielding 358 results.
- Siena: Navigated the Swiss Chalet menu using VoiceOver heading navigation, covering sections: Picked For You, Beef is Back (limited time), Deals and Specials, Starters, Rotisserie Chicken, Barbecue Ribs, Handhelds, Wings and Tenders, Bowls and More, Kids Meals, Desserts, Extra Sides and Sauces, Drinks, and More to Explore.
- Siena: Demonstrated adding items to the cart for tutorial participants, including a Deluxe Roast Beef on a Bun (for herself), a Chalet Chicken Soup Bowl (requested by Lily via chat), a Quarter Chicken Dinner with white meat and market vegetables (for Palmer), a Third Rack Barbecue Back Ribs with smoky barbecue sauce, Crispy Chicken Tenders with buffalo sauce and fries (for Ali), and a Ginger Ale.
- Palmer: Noted that item descriptions are not shown in the list view and require a double-tap to access — Siena confirmed this.
- Palmer: Observed that calorie counts were displayed for most items and sides, which was useful for making informed choices.
- Siena: Demonstrated the cart view, showing a subtotal of $101.52 for the full order, with a final total of $123.19 including a $0.99 delivery fee and $20.68 in taxes.
- Siena: Showed the checkout screen, including tip options (5%, 10%, 15%, or custom), noting that 100% of the tip goes to the courier/driver.
- Palmer: Asked about UberCash — Siena explained it functions like a prepaid balance that can be used instead of a credit card on file.
- Siena: Demonstrated removing items from the cart one by one using the VoiceOver Actions menu, adjusting quantity to zero and confirming removal.
- Ivy: Suggested there might be a “cancel entire order” option; Siena noted she did not find one during exploration.
- Geoff: Suggested the option might exist but be visually hidden or unlabeled for VoiceOver, referencing a similar experience with another app.
- Siena: Noted one unlabeled button was encountered in the app but was not relevant to the core ordering flow.
- Jackie: Commented that Uber Eats is easy to use but can be expensive.
Conclusion
- Uber Eats (within the Uber app) is highly accessible, using standard radio buttons and checkboxes that VoiceOver reads clearly.
- Users should ensure their phone is unlocked before screen sharing.
- No single “clear cart” button was found; items must be removed individually via the VoiceOver Actions menu.
- A future session on the Uber “Shop” (grocery delivery) feature was proposed.

Proposed Future Tutorial: Uber Shop (Grocery Delivery)

Following the Uber Eats tutorial, the group discussed exploring the Uber Shop feature in a future session.

Details
- Siena: Proposed covering the Uber Shop section in a future Textravaganza Evenings session.
- Lily: Expressed interest and hoped it would be more accessible than Instacart, which she found problematic.
- Siena: Agreed, noting she had also encountered issues with Instacart previously.
- Jackie: Confirmed interest in seeing how grocery shopping via Uber works.
Conclusion
- A future Textravaganza Evenings session will be dedicated to the Uber Shop (grocery delivery) feature.

ScribeMe App Removal from the App Store

Ali raised a report from the Blind Apples mailing list about ScribeMe being removed from the App Store.

Details
- Ali: Noted he saw a thread claiming ScribeMe had been removed from the App Store, though he expressed uncertainty about the reliability of the source.
- Jackie: Said she was glad she had already downloaded it.
- Ali: Pointed out that even existing users would not be able to re-download the app if it is no longer available on the App Store.
Conclusion
- The removal of ScribeMe from the App Store was flagged as unconfirmed but worth monitoring.

Technology Refresh Cycle for Accessibility Testing

Palmer raised a question about how frequently accessibility testers should update their equipment.

Details
- Palmer: Asked for a general recommendation on how often to replace devices used for accessibility consulting.
- Ali: Suggested every 3 to 5 years as a reasonable cycle.
- Siena: Agreed with 3 to 5 years, noting she has had her current Mac for about three years and it still functions well; also mentioned she is receiving new equipment through Ontario’s Assistive Devices Program (ADP).
- Palmer: Noted his Mac is nearly 10 years old and that his grandmother is offering him a Windows 11 PC with 16 GB of RAM.
- Lily: Said she typically waits until a device has major issues before upgrading, and does not do accessibility testing, so currency is less critical for her.
- Ali: Suggested 3 to 5 years as a practical minimum for those doing accessibility work.
Conclusion
- A 3-to-5-year refresh cycle is recommended for devices used in accessibility testing.
- Individual circumstances (device condition, program funding, type of work) may influence the actual timeline.

Google Workspace for Branding and Productivity

Ali discussed his use of Google Workspace for professional branding, storage, and workflow integration.

Details
- Ali: Explained that Google Workspace allows him to connect his WordPress.comwebsite domain and use a branded email address (e.g., alimusa@themusaslobodionetwork.ca).
- Ali: Noted benefits include shared drives, Google Meet integration, additional storage, and AI-generated meeting summaries via Gemini.
- Siena: Confirmed she is also a Google Workspace subscriber, using the email siena.trigiani@textravaganza.ca, and finds the familiar Google Drive/Docs environment more feature-rich under Workspace.
- Siena: Also mentioned the support@textravaganza.ca address as a contact point for participants.
- Palmer: Asked for clarification on how Workspace connects to a website — Ali clarified his site is on WordPress.com, and Workspace is used for domain email and productivity tools.
- Lily: Asked whether Google Meet also generates AI summaries — Ali confirmed it does, via Gemini, and noted it produces more detailed notes with timestamps compared to Zoom’s AI summary.
- Ali: Added that Google Meet stores recordings and meeting notes in a dedicated “Meet Recordings” folder in Google Drive, making them easy to locate.
- Lily: Noted that timestamped transcripts are very useful for navigating long recordings, such as podcasts on YouTube.
- Ali: Confirmed Google Meet also provides a full transcript.
Conclusion
- Google Workspace provides meaningful branding, storage, and productivity benefits for both Ali and Siena.
- Google Meet’s Gemini-powered summaries and organized recording storage are seen as advantages over Zoom.

Zapier for Workflow Automation

Ali introduced Zapier as a tool he uses to automate recurring event-related email communications.

Details
- Ali: Described Zapier as a platform for automating repetitive tasks, not a calendar tool.
- Ali: Explained he set up a “Zap” that monitors his Google Calendar for events tagged “Books Panel” and automatically sends reminder emails to all invited guests 24 hours and 1 hour before the event.
- Ali: Noted this eliminates the need to manually schedule and send reminder emails each month.
- Palmer: Summarized the workflow as writing the email once, scheduling it, and having Zapier execute it automatically — Ali confirmed.
- Siena: Added that Zapier includes a Copilot (AI) feature that allows users to describe what they want in plain language, and Zapier builds the automation accordingly.
- Ali: Confirmed he uses Copilot regularly as it makes building Zaps more efficient, especially for tricky field configurations.
- Lily: Noted Copilot would be especially helpful for new users unfamiliar with the platform.
- Ali: Highlighted that Zapier’s support team is highly responsive, often assigning a dedicated point of contact for continuity on open cases.
- Palmer: Asked whether Zapier has an app — Ali and Siena confirmed it is web-only.
Conclusion
- Zapier is a web-based automation tool useful for reducing manual, repetitive communication tasks.
- The Copilot feature lowers the barrier to entry for new users.
- Zapier’s support team is considered reliable and helpful.

Books Panel Upcoming Event

Ali briefly mentioned the Books Panel event during the Zapier discussion.

Details
- Ali: Referenced the Books Panel as a recurring event held on the last Friday of each month, used as an example of a Zapier automation use case.
- Siena: Noted the next Books Panel is on May 29th.
- Palmer: Asked to be added to the invite list.
- Ali: Agreed to add Palmer to the list.
Conclusion
- The next Books Panel is scheduled for May 29, 2026.
- Palmer will be added to the Books Panel invite list.

Accessibility and Transportation Challenges in Rural Areas

A discussion emerged about the difficulties of using ride-sharing and delivery services when living in rural or semi-rural areas.

Details
- Lily: Noted that Skip the Dishes does not deliver to her home due to her rural location.
- Palmer: Described reliance on parents for transportation, uncertainty about whether Uber would service his area, and challenges with no sidewalks and wind affecting hearing aids.
- Lily: Agreed that proximity to a city significantly increases available options.
- Palmer: Noted that even in semi-rural areas with nearby houses, the absence of sidewalks creates safety challenges for pedestrians with visual or hearing impairments.
Conclusion
- Rural residents face significant barriers to accessing ride-sharing and food delivery services.
- Lack of sidewalks and transportation infrastructure compounds accessibility challenges for people with disabilities in non-urban areas.

Meta Glasses and the Orion Feature

Palmer briefly mentioned the Meta smart glasses and their Orion outdoor navigation feature.

Details
- Palmer: Referenced a Double Tap podcast segment where a co-host used the Orion feature outdoors, noting it provided useful environmental information despite not being officially recommended for outdoor use.
- Palmer: Explained that using Orion requires the phone app, with the glasses connected to it, and switching back to the Meta AI app via the app switcher when done.
- Siena: Expressed interest and suggested it could be a future tutorial topic.
Conclusion
- Meta glasses with the Orion feature may be a candidate for a future Textravaganza tutorial.

Subscriber Growth and Community Engagement

Ali and Siena encouraged listeners and participants to subscribe to the Textravaganza website newsletter.

Details
- Ali: Reported the subscriber list is currently at 79 and growing.
- Ali: Encouraged podcast listeners and session participants to subscribe at the Textravaganza website.
- Siena: Offered to manually subscribe anyone who has difficulty signing up.
- Ali and Siena: Reminded participants of available communication channels: Textravaganza Friends group, WhatsApp workshop group, Messenger, and the support@textravaganza.ca email.
Conclusion
- The Textravaganza newsletter currently has 79 subscribers; growth is a shared priority.
- Multiple contact channels are available for participants needing assistance.