What is Too Good To Go and how does it work in Denmark?

Too Good To Go is a food rescue app where cafes, bakeries, restaurants, and supermarkets sell their end-of-day surplus as a 'Magic Bag' at 30–60% of the normal retail price. You reserve and pay in the app, then collect at the time slot shown. Denmark is one of the most active countries on the platform — hundreds of stores in Copenhagen alone participate.

How much can I save using Too Good To Go in Denmark?

A typical Magic Bag costs DKK 25–55 and contains food worth DKK 75–150 retail. Regular users saving 2–3 bags per week save DKK 3,000–6,000 per year on food costs. Bakery bags are the best value — DKK 30–40 often yields DKK 100+ worth of fresh bread and pastries.

Which stores in Denmark participate in Too Good To Go?

Lidl, Netto, and Rema 1000 all participate at most locations. Major bakery chains (Lagkagehuset, Meyers Bageri, local bakeries) are among the most popular sellers. Many independent restaurants, sushi places, and cafes also list bags. Copenhagen has the densest coverage; other cities like Aarhus, Odense, and Aalborg have solid coverage too.

Can I use Too Good To Go as an expat without a Danish address?

Yes — the app works with any email address. You do not need a CPR number, Danish bank account, or local address to sign up. You can pay with any international credit or debit card. It works from your first day in Denmark.

What time do you collect Magic Bags?

Collection times vary by seller — typically 30–60 minutes before closing, or at end-of-lunch-service for restaurants. The exact pickup window (e.g. '19:30–20:00') is shown in the listing before you buy. You cannot choose the time — you reserve the bag and arrive in that window.

Too Good To Go in Denmark: How to Save Money on Food with Magic Bags

Too Good To Go is one of the most practical money-saving apps for expats in Denmark. Here's how it works, which stores participate, and how to get started.

Denmark is an expensive country to live in. Food costs are manageable if you shop at Lidl and Netto, but eating well without a large budget still takes effort. Too Good To Go solves a specific part of that problem: end-of-day surplus from bakeries, cafes, and supermarkets that would otherwise go to waste — sold to you at 30–60% of retail through a ten-second app reservation.

Denmark is the home country of Too Good To Go (founded in Copenhagen in 2015) and consistently has one of the highest densities of active sellers in the world. That means this app actually works here, reliably, in most neighbourhoods — not the hit-or-miss coverage you find in smaller markets.

How Too Good To Go Works

The concept is simple:

A bakery bakes 200 loaves. By 18:00, 30 are unsold.
Rather than bin them, they list a Magic Bag on Too Good To Go for DKK 35.
You see the listing, pay in the app, and collect between 19:00–19:30.
You receive a bag with whatever surplus they have — you don't choose the contents.

The app uses a GPS-based map to show available sellers near you. Each listing shows:

The pickup window (e.g. 19:00–19:30)
The price (typically DKK 25–55)
The estimated retail value ("worth DKK 90")
Number of bags remaining (limited — popular listings sell out fast)

You pay in the app before collecting. Show the QR code to the seller, take your bag, done.

Getting Started: Download and Sign Up

Download Too Good To Go and get started with a referral bonus

Using the referral link above gives you a head start — you'll get credits or a discount on your first Magic Bag depending on the current promotion.

Download the app (iOS or Android)
Create an account with your email address
Set your location (any Danish address or just allow location access)
Browse available Magic Bags nearby

No CPR number, no Danish phone number, no local bank account required. Any international card works for payment.

What You Actually Get

Magic Bags are surprise bags — the contents vary every day based on what the seller has left over. This is the model by design, because sellers don't know what will be unsold until closing time.

In practice, bags from each type of seller are predictable:

Seller type	Typical contents	Avg. price	Avg. retail value
Bakery	Bread, pastries, rolls, possibly cake	DKK 30–40	DKK 90–150
Supermarket	Chilled food near best-before, packaged goods, produce	DKK 35–55	DKK 100–180
Café	Sandwiches, salads, baked goods, drinks	DKK 30–45	DKK 80–130
Restaurant	Full portions or meal components (sushi, pasta, etc.)	DKK 45–65	DKK 120–200
Sushi	12–20 pieces, typically end-of-dinner service	DKK 45–60	DKK 130–200

Bakery bags are consistently the best value-to-price ratio in Denmark. Lagkagehuset, Meyers Bageri, and local independent bakeries are the most popular sellers. A DKK 35 bag from a decent Copenhagen bakery reliably fills a bread bin for 2–3 days.

Which Stores Participate in Denmark

Supermarket chains:

Lidl — most Danish Lidl locations participate; bags typically available 20:00–21:00
Netto — widespread participation; often produce and chilled goods near best-before
Rema 1000 — many locations active; reliable for fresh food near end-of-date

Bakery chains:

Lagkagehuset — one of the most reliable and popular on the platform in Denmark
Meyers Bageri — high-value bags, often sells out within minutes of listing
Local independent bakeries — vary by area; check your neighbourhood

Restaurant categories:

Sushi restaurants (listings typically appear 20:30–22:00)
Pizza and Italian
Thai, Indian, and other takeaway restaurants
Cafés and lunch spots (lunch service bags appear around 14:00–15:00)

Coverage is densest in Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, and Aarhus. Odense, Aalborg, Roskilde, and Helsingør all have solid coverage. Smaller towns have fewer sellers but usually some.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of It

Enable notifications. Popular sellers (especially good bakeries) sell out in under a minute after listing. Turn on push notifications so you see new listings the moment they appear.

Favourite your regular sellers. Once you find a bakery or supermarket with reliable bags, add them to favourites. The app notifies you when your favourites list new bags.

Check lunch bags. Many people only think to use the app in the evening. Cafés and lunch restaurants often list bags between 13:00–15:00, which are less competitive because fewer people are looking.

Sushi bags in the evening. Sushi restaurants are among the highest-value bags on the platform. Most list between 20:30–21:30 for same-evening collection. Reserve immediately when you see them — they disappear fast.

Plan your meals loosely. Since you don't choose the contents, Too Good To Go works best when you treat the bag as a base ingredient rather than a specific planned meal. Bread bags → make open-faced sandwiches (smørrebrød). Supermarket bags → cook around whatever protein or produce you receive.

Use it to discover local spots. Many small bakeries and restaurants you'd never find otherwise show up as Too Good To Go sellers. It's a cheap way to try somewhere new.

Common Problems and Fixes

"There's nothing available near me." This usually means you're looking at the wrong time. Most bags appear in the evening (18:00–21:00). Bakery bags often appear 30–60 minutes before closing. Try browsing at 17:30–18:00 and check again at 20:00 if nothing showed up earlier.

"The bag I wanted sold out before I could reserve it." Enable notifications and favourite the seller. Popular sellers in Copenhagen often sell out within 30–90 seconds of listing. Speed matters — have your payment method saved so checkout is one tap.

"I couldn't make the pickup window." Contact the seller through the app before the window closes. Many will hold a bag briefly if you message ahead. If you miss the window without contact, Too Good To Go's policy is that you forfeit the bag (no refund) — but reaching out usually gets a resolution.

"The bag contents were disappointing." It happens occasionally. The app has a rating system — rate honestly, and avoid sellers with consistently poor ratings. Most sellers have strong incentive to give good bags because their rating affects visibility on the platform.

How Much You Can Save

Running the numbers for a typical expat household in Denmark:

2 bags per week at average DKK 40 each: DKK 4,160/year spent
Retail equivalent at average DKK 120 per bag: DKK 12,480/year
Saving: DKK 8,320/year — roughly DKK 700/month in food costs

Even if you're conservative — one bag a week, mix of types — you're easily saving DKK 3,000–5,000 per year. At Denmark's cost of living, that matters.

Download Too Good To Go

Get the app and your first Magic Bag discount →

Install, allow location access, and browse what's available near you tonight. It takes three minutes to set up, and most new users get their first bag within 24 hours of signing up.

For more on keeping food costs down in Denmark, read the supermarkets and grocery shopping guide and the cost of living breakdown for 2026.