Groceries are expensive.
And while I’m grateful to earn upwards of $500 a day blogging with AI, that doesn’t mean I don’t still practice frugal habits to save money!
So when I heard about the food-waste app, Too Good to Go, I knew I had to give it a try.
The idea of getting quality food at a steep discount while also helping to reduce waste sounded like a win-win.
So I tried it around Boston, Massachusetts, to see if it lived up to the hype.
I was impressed with most of the mystery food bags I received, but not all. See what was inside and get all the details in my Too Good To Go app review.
Too Good To Go App Review Summary
After months of using the Too Good to Go app, I’ve figured out which spots are worth grabbing mystery bags from near me.
Some locations are a hard pass either because the food quality is disappointing, the portions are too small, or the selections just aren’t worth the price.
You’ll have better luck in a city rather than a rural area, where you’ll find more Too Good To Go locations with plentiful and affordable goody bags.
What is Too Good To Go?
Too Good To Go is an app that lets you buy leftover or soon to be expired food at a huge discount.
Restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores use it to sell food instead of letting it go to waste.
You don’t get to pick exactly what you’ll get.
It’s a surprise “mystery bag,” but that’s part of the fun and the deals can be amazing.
Surprise bags range in price from $3.52 to $10.00 and often contain food items worth up to three times that amount.
It’s an easy way to save money on food while also helping to reduce waste.
Too Good to Go Locations
If you’re on this page, you’re most likely in the US.
The Too Good To Go app is available in many major cities, including Boston, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Austin, Denver, Phoenix, Cleveland, and Miami.
You can find the full list of US cities on the Too Good To Go website.
Outside the US, the app is available in many European countries including France, Germany, the UK, Italy and Spain.
How to Use Too Good To Go App
After downloading the Too Good To Go app, you can browse available mystery bags using two features.
The list view lets you sort by relevance, distance, price, or rating to find the best deals.
If you prefer a visual approach, the Too Good to Go map feature helps you spot nearby locations with available bags.
Once you find one you like, purchase a surprise bag at a discounted price using Apple Pay, PayPal, debit or credit card, or Cash App Pay.
Aside from sales tax, which varies by location, there are no extra fees to use the Too Good To Go app.
Next, pick it up during the designated time window.
Some mystery bags have a 30-minute pick-up window.
For example, one spot I frequent has a designated time slot from 9:00 PM to 9:30 PM.
At my local Too Good To Go Whole Foods, the pick-up window is an hour, while other places offer up to three hours.
Just check the pick-up time for your order, then head to the location and let them know you’re there to grab your mystery bag!
What I Got from Too Good To Go
I’ve used Too Good To Go about 40 times now and have found a couple of favorite spots that I keep going back to.
I love them so much that I have even become a regular paying customer!
But to give you an idea of what people get on Too Good To Go, here’s a look at what I received from four different locations.
Too Good to Go Whole Foods
At my local Whole Foods, I paid $9.99 plus tax for a ‘prepared foods’ surprise bag.
The listed retail value was $30, and the location had a 4.4-star rating, which I took as a great sign.
The pick-up instructions directed me to either the bakery department or the prepared foods counter.
When I arrived at the designated location, an employee greeted me right away and headed to the back to grab my bag.
Here’s everything I received in my Whole Foods Mystery Bag:
- 2-piece chicken strips ($6.00 value)
- Classic Egg Salad ($8.09 value)
- Vegetarian Bistro Pasta Salad ($4.58 value)
- Curry Chicken Salad ($8.83 value)
- Buffalo Chicken Wings ($4.73 value)
The retail value of my grab bag was $32.23, but all the items had a 50% off yellow sticker since they were marked with a ‘sell by’ date for that same day.
So in reality, I considered the retail value to be $16.12.
Given that and the fact that most of the items weren’t things I would normally eat, this mystery bag ended up being very disappointing.
Too Good To Go Blue Bottle Coffee
I had much better luck with my Blue Bottle Coffee Too Good To Go mystery bag, which I picked up at the Seaport in Boston.
Priced at $5.99 plus tax, this one was definitely worth it!
Here are all the pastries I got inside:
- Carrot Bread
- Almond Croissant
- Herb Scone
- Chocolate cupcake
Most pastries at Blue Bottle cost around $6 each, so this felt like a steal. I was essentially getting 4 pastries for the price of one.
There was also more than enough to share with my family for a nice afternoon snack. Plus, they were moist, delicious, and definitely not stale!
Suggested Read: Save Money on Groceries with this Supermarket Food Waste App!
Too Good To Go Philly Pretzel Factory
Alright, so I saved the best for last!
The Philly Pretzel Factory outdid them all with their $3.99 plus tax grab bag. There was so much that I had to find people to share it with!
Here’s what I received in my Philly Pretzel Factory bag:
- 9 Hand-Twisted Soft Pretzels
- A large scoop of Mini Salted Pretzels
- 2 Cinnamon Pretzel Sticks
That’s a lot of pretzels for one person!
But I’m also not surprised since pretzels lose their freshness quickly and aren’t as good the next day.
So it makes sense that these grab bags are stuffed with tons of unsold, end of day pretzels.
Too Good To Go Chicken and Rice Guys
If you like Middle Eastern Halal food, then this next one is a no-brainer!
For just $3.29 (or $3.52 with tax), you get a generous portion of food, enough to stretch into two hearty meals.
I ate half for dinner and saved the rest for lunch the next day, and it was delicious!
It’s also an unbeatable deal for the price!
Here’s what I received in my Chicken and Rice Guys bag:
- A large serving of yellow rice
- Halal shredded chicken
- Shredded lettuce
- Pita Bread
This grab bag sells out fast!
I’ve tried to grab one a few times, and if I hesitate for even a minute, it’s already gone.
So if you see it available, don’t wait. Grab it before it disappears!
Apps Like Too Good To Go
If you enjoy getting heavily discounted food while also helping to reduce waste, you might like these other apps too.
Flashfood
If you’re looking for the cheapest groceries in Boston, then look no further than the Flashfood app.
I’ve been using the supermarket food waste app for a couple of years to cut my grocery bill nearly in half. Flashfood lets you buy grocery items nearing their expiration date at a steep discount.
Get a $5 Flashfood Sign-Up Bonus Credit.
MisFits Market
Misfits Market is a subscription-based service that delivers discounted organic produce and pantry staples that might not meet grocery store standards.
If you prefer pre-selected groceries delivered to your door, Misfits Market is a better fit, whereas Too Good To Go is ideal for grabbing discounted meals and baked goods locally.
Too Good to Go App Review: Final Verdict
After trying this app so many times, my Too Good To Go app review is that it is definitely worth it if you are near a city with plenty of locations.
The more options you have, the better your chances of getting a great mystery bag.
Some spots are amazing, while others can be a total miss, so it helps to check reviews and pick-up times.
Even when a bag is not the best, it’s still fun to see what you get, and the savings can be huge.
If you are up for a little mystery and love a good deal, this app is worth checking out!
Next, you may be interested in reading about Boston Birthday Freebies and also how to save money at restaurants!
