The team finally tried Too Good To Go, the app that aims to eliminate food waste, which makes up 10% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Buckle up, friends, we had a BIG learning curve.
How Too Good To Go works
The app connects people with leftovers that restaurants and grocery stores would otherwise throw away (e.g., day-old pastries, entrees that were returned, etc.). With millions of users across the world, the app launched in Chicago two years ago.
Our orders from Too Good To Go. (City Cast Chicago)
What we ate
Newsletter editor Sidney Madden (me 👋) missed the coveted Eataly grocery bag, but got a dozen mini treats from Molly’s Cupcakes in Streeterville for $5.58 (plus an extra $3 for frosting).
Podcast host Jacoby Cochran had few options in Hyde Park. Philz canceled on him before he scootered to Robust Coffee Lounge in Woodlawn for a turkey sandwich, chips, and two doughnuts — all for $4.42.
Lead producer Simone Alicea was done dirty by Modern Food Mart in Rogers Park with expired dairy and soda. Pizza Mania in Edgewater then gave her a hot slice of sausage and a cold slice of cheese. Her wack bag and za each cost $5.53.
Marketing coordinator Jermaine Thomas II got a hot bowl and a cup of chicken noodle soup from the Loop’s Just Salad for $5.99. Sauce would’ve cost him extra, so he skipped.
What we learned
1. Read the reviews.
2. Plan early. Perseverance is key for new users.
3. Embrace the surprise … most of the time. Get your money back if your food is unsafe to consume!
+ Between TikTok surprise hauls to competitive subreddits, read about how online communities have helped the app gain a local following.
