Too Good To Go App

Albany Times Union. By Lilli Iannella, Staff Writer Aug 11, 2025

The app has recently gained traction in the Capital Region, as Too Good to Go started adding more partners earlier this summer, said the company’s U.S. public relations manager Molly Sposato. Its official launch in the Albany area will occur at the end of August, Sposato said. On Friday morning, more than 30 restaurants in the greater Capital Region and northern Hudson Valley had food listed on the app.

While it’s newer to the Capital Region, Too Good to Go was founded in 2015 and aims to combat food waste. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, around a third of food is wasted across the nation. Food waste in landfills contributes to more methane emissions than any other landfilled materials, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the emissions contribute to global warming.

The app allows users to select from a variety of businesses near their area offering “surprise bags,” which are reserved earlier in the day for a later pickup time. What customers get in the bags depends on the day and what food the restaurant has left, which is typically available for pickup at the end of the day.

The only other programs in the Capital Region similar to Too Good to Go are food banks and pantries, said Amanda Jurgelon, a Zero Waste Board member. Given how widespread online ordering has become, Jurgelon thinks platforms like Too Good to Go will continue to impact local communities, from fighting food waste to food insecurity.

“In this age and day, things are changing. I think we need to put more of an emphasis on these apps,” Jurgelon said. “When you use an app that allows you to do something mobile-y, it kind of takes the stigma away and allows for members to use these resources that otherwise wouldn’t be utilized.”

Feed It Onward

Turning Food Waste into Opportunity Across America

Feed It Onward is a new initiative of the Trump EPA that lends a national platform to spotlight the farmers, businesses, nonprofits, military partners, and communities making sure good food goes to people — not landfills. Feed It Onward connects food donors with communities in need while reducing the environmental impact of food waste in landfills. We partner with private and public groups to highlight food waste and recovery efforts, connecting food providers with opportunities to reduce our nation’s food waste.