In our latest Meal Prep Growth Chat, Brad Miller from Punch Drunk Chef joined us for another deep dive into the art of grassroots growth—think wrapped trucks, gym activations, and community outreach. But this time, one tactic stood out: how he uses Too Good To Go to turn surplus meals into loyal customers.

If you’re not familiar, Too Good To Go is a food rescue app that helps businesses sell unsold meals at a steep discount to local customers. But Brad isn’t just using it to offload extras—he’s using it to grow.

“We get 30 to 50 pickups a week,” Brad shared. “Just depending on what we have left that didn’t sell in the storefront or that we don’t plan on donating to one of our charities.”

Let’s break down exactly how Brad uses this platform—and how you can steal this playbook for your own growth.

What Is Too Good To Go?

Too Good To Go helps restaurants and food businesses sell unsold meals—usually for 66% off. Customers don’t choose what they get; instead, they pick up a surprise meal during a set window.

For most businesses, it’s a way to minimize food waste. But Brad uses it with intention—as a top-of-funnel marketing channel.

How Brad Turns Surplus Into Growth

1. Build “Extra” Into Your Weekly Production Plan

Every week, Brad’s team intentionally produces 350–400 extra meals—but not all of them are giveaways.

Here’s how they break down:

• A portion is sold in-store as grab-and-go
• Around 150 meals are used for marketing or donation, including
  • Charity donations or gym pop-ups and outreach
  • 30–50 through Too Good To Go depending on what’s left

“Those meals are our marketing,” Brad said. “We’re already cooking—we just use the extras to get more people to try us.”

2. Use Bulk Protein Packs to Offer Variety

When they have extra cooked protein or sides, Brad’s team builds 1-pound “macro packs” (e.g., grilled chicken, roasted veggies) and lists them on Too Good To Go.

“They’re bargain hunters, but they’re also looking to try things they didn’t know existed,” Brad explained.

It’s a clever entry point for a new audience—and it works.

“I’m telling you, the feedback we get is just awesome... ‘I didn’t know you existed. I’ve been looking for something like this.’”

It’s not just about clearing inventory—it’s about discovery, delight, and long-term conversion.

3. Include a Simple Brand Kit in Every Bag

Every Too Good To Go order includes:

• A custom flyer with meal info and brand story
• A sticker on the container
• A friendly in-person handoff that makes an impression

“We have these flyers I made — you put a flyer in, you put a sticker in, you tell 'em, ‘Hey, this is good all the way until Saturday,’” Brad said.

It’s not a hard sell—but it works. The flyer tells customers what they got, who it’s from, and how to find them again.

“They get a sticker, they get greeted with a smile… They’re like, ‘Oh my God, I didn’t know you existed.’”

And while Brad doesn’t explicitly ask for reviews, the experience often speaks for itself.

“They turn around and write you a review. We don’t ask for it… We just tell them that’s our only form of advertising and they pay it forward.”

4. Treat It Like a First Impression

The goal isn’t just to sell $4 meals—it’s to get people coming back.

“I’ve had people order 10 meals at a time. It’s cheap food, yeah—but if it’s good, they stick around.”

The app also provides helpful analytics like age, gender, zip code, and save/favorite data—giving you insights on what’s working.

Brad’s 4-Step Too Good To Go Playbook

1. Cook with Overflow
Make extra meals weekly—first for donations or outreach, then list the rest.

2. List 5–20 Bags
Use Too Good To Go to move what’s left and meet new customers.

3. Add a Brand Touch
Include a flyer, a sticker, and a smile. No pitch—just presence.

4. Let It Ripple
Track reviews and reorders. Some won’t return. Others will spend $150 a week.

Final Takeaways

Too Good To Go isn’t just a food waste tool. For Brad, it’s a low-cost, high-ROI growth channel that delivers weekly word-of-mouth and new customer orders.

“You’re already cooking. You might as well turn those extra meals into exposure.”

Next Up →

How Are Customers Finding You in the Age of AI Search?

In our next Growth Chat this Wednesday (16th @ 1:30pm MT), we’re sitting down with Clayton Wood—SEO expert, ex-DoorDasher, and strategist behind some of the best-performing search campaigns in the country.

We’ll be unpacking the rise of AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok—and what they mean for local meal prep businesses trying to get discovered.

💬 “I just asked ChatGPT who the best meal prep company in Dallas was… and it led me here.”

That’s what Brad’s newest $150+/week customer said during pickup—after finding Punch Drunk Chef through AI search.

We’ll use Brad’s story as a case study and break down how to optimize your Google Business Profile, website, reviews, and content so you rank inside these new AI systems—not just traditional search.

🧠 Don’t miss this one if you want to future-proof your brand.

👉 Join the community and get notified when we go live

Want Help Using This Strategy?

Let’s talk 1-on-1 about how to:

• Use Too Good To Go to drive trial
• Turn surplus into subscriptions
• Improve your reviews + visibility

👉 Book a free Meal Prep Growth Strategy Session →

P.S. One More Way to Support the Industry

Our friends at The Food Corridor (aka The Kitchen Door) are running a major study on how shared-use commissary kitchens support food entrepreneurs.

Have you ever cooked out of a commissary kitchen—or plan to?
You can play a part in this national research by filling out this quick survey:

👉 Take the survey here

Let’s show them how strong this community really is. 💪
Happy prepping!

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