How To Grab A Cheap Eat With The Too Good To Go App

February 14, 2024 • Chris Bardsley

How To Grab A Cheap Eat With The Too Good To Go App

At Fair For You, we’re always looking out for ways that you can save money on the essentials.

When it comes to food, there are two huge problems. Firstly, food is becoming increasingly expensive. If that wasn’t bad enough, more than a third of all food ends up in landfill.

An app that’s helping to fix both of these issues is called Too Good To Go. It allows you to buy perfectly good food at a highly discounted price that otherwise would have gone to waste.

Here’s a guide on what Too Good To Go is, plus how to snag some fantastic deals on your next meal in just a couple of taps.


What Is Too Good To Go?

Too Good To Go is an app which sells food from various shops and food chains to prevent food waste. The food is offered at a highly discounted price, allowing those who buy the food to pick up a meal for less than it would cost compared to buying the same items in store.

How Does Too Good To Go Work?

Too Good To Go is an app that looks similar to Uber Eats but without the high costs!

Retailers decide what goes into the contents of a meal or food bag. The items are usually food which hasn't been sold at the end of the day. By purchasing this food, it won’t end up in landfill and you’ll get a great discount.

You simply need to bid on the bag and the payment will be taken through your phone. You’ll then pick up your bag from the retailer within the time slot listed on the item.

Time slots are usually an hour long and vary throughout the day. There’s plenty of choice so you can find a slot which works around any commitments like childcare if you need to.

Food can be hot, cold or contain bundles of groceries which you can cook at home. If you opt for any hot food and you’re able to pick up and eat the food promptly, then this could also save you money on your energy bills too!

How Much Does Too Good To Go Cost?

The Too Good To Go app is completely free to download. The cost of your bag or items will depend on the retailer, with the vast majority of bags costing under £5. There are no hidden fees and also no delivery fees as you can only pick up the bags. You can adjust your search to choose stores that are closest to your home to make the pick up even easier.

How To Get Too Good To Go Bags

Once you’ve downloaded the Too Good To Go app and created an account, you’ll be able to reserve the bags that catch your eye. Once the bag is reserved and you’ve paid for it, you’ll then be able to pick it up from the store at the specified time.

Some retailers will request that you bring your own carrier bags to the pick up although containers are usually provided.

What Are Surprise Bags On Too Good To Go?

Surprise bags contain a number of random foods which haven't been sold that day. If you buy a surprise bag then the deal is you won’t know what the bag will contain until you go to pick up the bag.

Lots of retailers offer surprise bags including Starbucks, which states their surprise bags could contain the likes of bagels, pastries, paninis, salad or sweet treats.

If you’re not fussed about the food you’ll get or simply want to switch things up, surprise bags can offer an amazing deal.

Example Of Deals We Found On the Too Good To Go App

As noted, Too Good To Go is available right across the UK and when you enter your postcode, you’ll see the food for sale near you. But for our test, we entered our location as Manchester to see what deals were available.

We found:

  • Aldi - grocery surprise bag - £3.30 (worth £10)

  • Barburrito - veggie burrito or bowl - £3 (worth £9)

  • Greggs - cold food bag - £2.59 (worth £8)

  • Harvester - deli surprise bag - £2.99 (worth £8.97)

  • Morrisons - grocery surprise bag - £3.09 (worth £10)

  • Premier 365 Convenience Store - grocery surprise bag - £2 (worth £6)

  • Pret - surprise bag - £5 (worth £15)

  • Subway - bread and cookies - £2.20 (worth £6.60)

  • Thaikhun Buffet - complete Thai meal - £4 (worth £14.95)

Good to know: You can also customise your search for different dietary preferences such as vegan or vegetarian food.

**Prices listed at the time of writing on 25/01/24. Please check the Too Good To Go app in your local area to see the most current prices for deals near you.

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If you're interested in even more food deals, you might also want to check out our Food Club Card which could give you up to £75 to spend at Iceland.

So long as you qualify, you can pay the loan back at a rate which suits you which could really help if money is tight at the moment.

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This entry was posted in Budgeting Tips, How To's and Blog
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