Translating Menus with ChatGPT: A Game Changer?

Menu in traditional Chinese

You’re in a restaurant in a foreign country. The food look delicious, but you can’t read the menu. Nowadays, your smartphone can help with an instant translation, but that might not be very useful if the names of the dishes are not descriptive.

While you could argue that these moments make traveling exciting, there are times when you might simply want to order food without the uncertainty of menu roulette or the need to ask others for help.

That’s where ChatGPT comes in. Provide a bit of context and use the app on your phone to be your translator and assistant, as this post on Reddit suggests:

Now when I land in a new place I start a conversation telling GPT4 where I am and give it a bit of context.

I’m currently a tourist in Ben Tre, Vietnam. Please behave as a travel assistant for the following conversation.

When you translate menus, please include a short description of each dish assuming the dish is made in the style of my current location. Also highlight if the dish is a local specialty.

Then I just upload an image of the menu and ask it to translate. It’s honestly a game changer as a semi-adventurous eater

GPT4 is an amazing travel tool for menus

While I’m currently at home, a friend of mine traveled to Bangkok over New year and sent me some photos:

Truly a game changer. If there’s anything you can still trust in this world, it’s Reddit and ChatGPT, but let’s just quickly double-check with Google Translate:

Enjoy your meal!


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