If you love a bargain, hate food waste, and enjoy a little surprise in your day, there’s a new app in town that might just become your best-kept secret.
Too Good To Go, the world’s largest marketplace for surplus food, has officially launched in Queensland—and it’s already making waves with savvy diners and local businesses alike.
What is Too Good To Go?
Too Good To Go is a free app designed to tackle the growing problem of food waste while helping consumers save money.
The concept is simple: at the end of each day, participating restaurants, cafés, bakeries, and other food outlets list their unsold items as ‘surprise bags’ at heavily discounted prices.
Instead of perfectly good food ending up in the bin, you can swoop in and score a bag of goodies for a fraction of the usual cost.
The app has already attracted more than 600,000 users across Australia, and with over 100 Queensland stores on board (and counting), it’s never been easier to grab a delicious deal.
How does it work?
Download the app (it’s free for both Apple and Android devices).
Browse local businesses near you that have surplus food available.
Reserve a ‘surprise bag’ early in the day—they’re popular and can sell out fast!
Pick up your bag at the designated time, usually close to closing.
Enjoy your haul—you might get anything from pastries and sandwiches to sushi, salads, or even a full meal.
The catch? You won’t know exactly what’s inside until you open your bag—but that’s half the fun!
Real savings, real impact
According to Joost Rietveld from Too Good To Go, the average ‘surprise bag’ costs around $10 but contains about $30 worth of food.
Some local businesses, like Pressi juice bar in Fortitude Valley, offer bags valued at $21 for just $7. That’s a serious saving, especially as the cost of living continues to climb.
But it’s not just about stretching your dollar further. Every bag you rescue helps reduce the staggering amount of food that ends up in landfill each year.
In Australia, it’s estimated that we waste around 7.6 million tonnes of food annually—enough to fill the MCG nine times over! By using the app, you’re doing your bit for the planet as well as your wallet.
A win-win for businesses and customers
For café and restaurant owners, Too Good To Go offers a way to recover some costs on food that would otherwise be thrown out, while also attracting new customers.
Tessa Boehm, owner of Pressi, says she’s already seeing repeat business from app users who discovered her store through their first ‘surprise bag’.
‘It’s a great way to minimise wastage, and everything’s made with so much love,’ she says. ‘It’s been really popular—we’ve had lots of new faces coming in.’
What can you expect in a ‘surprise bag’?
The contents vary depending on the business and the day, but you can expect the same quality as if you’d bought the items at full price.
Think fresh bread, pastries, sandwiches, salads, sushi, or even ready-to-eat meals. Some users have reported scoring enough for breakfast, lunch, and even family dinners—and if you get a lot of bread, just pop it in the freezer for later.
Tips for getting the best deals
- Reserve early: The best bags go quickly, so check the app in the morning.
- Be flexible: Part of the fun is not knowing exactly what you’ll get.
- Bring a bag: Some stores may ask you to bring your own reusable bag or container.
- Check pick-up times: Make sure you can collect your bag during the specified window.
Why now is the perfect time to try it
With food prices on the rise and many of us looking for ways to make our budgets go further, Too Good To Go offers a practical solution that benefits everyone.
As customer Crystal French puts it, ‘In these day and ages everything is a little bit higher in price and if you can catch a bargain anywhere it’s nice to do that.’
Have you tried Too Good To Go or a similar app?
We’d love to hear your experiences! Have you scored a great deal, discovered a new favourite café, or found a creative way to use your ‘surprise bag’ haul? Share your stories and tips in the comments below—and let’s help each other make the most of this clever new way to save money and reduce waste.
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