I’m a Food Editor and This Is How I Find Mind-Blowing Deals on My Favorite Restaurants & Bakeries

Winner winner, half-price dinner.

Look, it's no secret that groceries are more expensive than ever before—really everything is more expensive than ever. As a food editor, my whole life revolves around buying groceries and trying restaurants (it's a hard job but someone's gotta do it!), but some of that comes on my own dime. So naturally I'm always on the hunt for sales and deals where I can get them, especially when it comes to dining out. That's why my mind was blown when I discovered the app Too Good To Go.

What Is Too Good To Go?

Too Good To Go (TGTG) is an app you can use to find surplus food from grocery stores, restaurants, and bakeries in your area at a serious discount. The app was originally created to help fight food waste by rescuing food that would otherwise be thrown out or wasted. And while its focus is still on reducing food waste, the discounts available on the app are a huge draw all on their own.

The deals you can find on the app are really that good; according to its website, Too Good To Go can help you score food at 1/3 of its regular price. Here's how it works.

How Too Good To Go Works

The TGTG app uses your location to show the participating stores and restaurants in your area. From there you can browse the available "bags" from restaurants, supermarkets, pizzerias, bakeries, and more, all in varying sizes and price points. All of the bags I saw were under $10 with most under $5. Each retailer releases a certain number of bags of food each day depending on their availability.

Once you find one you like, you can reserve the bag for pick up at a later time, typically later that day. You can also reserve bags up to several days in advance. Each bag is labeled with the discounted price and the typical market price, as well as how much food you can expect to receive.

Here's the one catch—you can't order like you typically would at a restaurant. Since this app primarily rescues excess food, you cannot customize your order. Some bags are a complete surprise (aptly named "Surprise Bags"), while others specify you'll get bagels, pizza, chocolates, or baked goods. But, the flavors are up to whatever the store has left in stock.

You can view a description of what is typically provided in a bag from the retailer, and scroll through reviews that highlight what each store is known for (like "Great Value" or "Delicious Food").

The surprise element is the trade-off for getting food from the stores you love at such a deep discount. Personally, I love the mystery element and enjoy watching videos of people unboxing their surprise bags on social media.

My First Time Trying Too Good To Go

Recently I used Too Good To Go to order from one of my favorite bakeries in California, Tartine. Tartine makes absolutely incredible French pastries and breads, but they are not cheap—each pastry costs between $5-$7 apiece. I was super curious to see how much I would get for just $5.99 (the app estimated it would be about $18 worth of baked goods).

I picked up my surprise bag right at the designated time in the afternoon, and the staff had the bag ready to go. I was worried it would be a burden to the staff to come and pick it up, but they were actually very friendly and seemingly happy to have me take what would otherwise be wasted off their hands.

In my "Surprise Bag," I got five items: a filled ham and cheese croissant, a seasonal fruit turnover, a chocolate banana croissant, a slice of lemon poppyseed cake, and a whole baguette. By my calculations, I received over $30 of baked goods for just $5.99. They were absolutely delicious and freshly baked—you never receive day-old goods since you're in theory "rescuing" the items that would become day-old.

And the mystery was the most fun part; my friends and I had so much fun trying each new item. It was also a great way to try items I typically wouldn't order.

When I Would Use Too Good To Go

Obviously, the surprise element makes it a little trickier to plan around as you would when typically ordering from a restaurant. However, I think there are a lot of circumstances in which it's an incredible resource.

For one, if you need a last-minute dessert or gift for a party, the bakeries are amazing. I could order a big selection of pastries from a bakery or a big box of chocolates from a local fancy chocolatier for under $10.

The grocery stores will give you a selection of produce and other items that are in excess or typically closer to their sell-by date (but never expired or rotten). If you don't mind playing a little personal version of "Chopped" when it comes to dinnertime, you come away with a veritable mystery basket of items for just a few bucks. I find the thrill of the unknown exciting and motivating, and a fun way to spice up boring weeknights.

Finally, places like bagel shops, pizzerias, and bread bakeries are always reliable. There's limited room for variation so as long as you don't have super picky eaters at home, it's a great way to restock the breadbox or feed the crew on any given evening. The app is adding more specific options, too, including bags for different dietary restrictions, produce-specific bags, and even dinner-specific bags.

More than anything this app is an easy way to mix up your routine, especially during less-than-exciting weeknights. Personally, I love a little push to try new foods, new recipes, and new stores. Plus, you can rest easy knowing that you're doing something great for the planet at the same time.