Cancelling a Too Good To Go order and getting your money back depends on when you cancel

If you cancel before the restaurant confirms your order, Too Good To Go refunds your payment to your original payment method within 3 to 5 business days. If you cancel after the restaurant has confirmed the order, the refund policy becomes stricter — you may lose the money entirely, or the restaurant may issue a credit instead of cash back. The timing of your cancellation is what determines whether you see the money again.

Too Good To Go operates on a two-stage confirmation system. When you first purchase a discounted meal package through the app, your payment is taken when ready, but the restaurant has a window to confirm they can fulfill that order. During this window — usually 15 minutes to an hour depending on the restaurant — you can cancel and get a full refund without penalty. Once the restaurant confirms, cancellation becomes the restaurant's choice, not yours.

Key Takeaways

  • Cancelling before restaurant confirmation results in a refund to your original payment method within 3 to 5 business days.
  • Cancelling after confirmation may result in no refund, a store credit, or a partial refund depending on the restaurant's policy.
  • The app shows you the confirmation status in real time, so you can see whether you are still in the cancellation window.
  • If a refund does not arrive within 5 business days, contact Too Good To Go support with your order number and payment screenshot.
  • Some restaurants use third-party payment processors, which can add 1 to 2 extra business days to refund timing.

How the confirmation window works and why it matters

When you purchase a meal on Too Good To Go, the app displays a countdown timer showing how long the restaurant has to confirm your order. This is your cancellation window. During this time, the restaurant has not yet committed to preparing your food, so cancelling carries no penalty and triggers an automatic refund.

Once the restaurant taps "confirm" in their Too Good To Go dashboard, the order moves to their kitchen and preparation begins. At this point, you no longer control whether a refund happens. The restaurant can refuse cancellation outright, issue a store credit instead of a refund, or allow cancellation with a partial refund. Too Good To Go's policy states that restaurants are not required to refund confirmed orders, though many do as a courtesy.

Check your app frequently during the confirmation window if you think you might cancel. The timer is visible on your active order screen. If it reaches zero and the restaurant has not confirmed, the order expires and your payment is automatically returned.

What happens if you cancel after the restaurant confirms

Once a restaurant confirms your order, you have entered their cancellation policy, not Too Good To Go's. Some restaurants allow cancellation up to 30 minutes before your pickup window; others do not allow it at all. The restaurant's specific policy is usually listed in the app under the restaurant's details, though not all restaurants state this clearly.

If you cancel a confirmed order and the restaurant refuses the refund, your money stays with Too Good To Go as a credit on your account. You can use this credit to purchase another meal from any restaurant on the platform. If you do not want to use the credit, you can contact Too Good To Go support to request a refund to your original payment method, but this is not may provide — support will review whether the restaurant's policy permitted cancellation.

The safest approach is to treat a confirmed order as final. If you must cancel a confirmed order, do it as soon as possible and screenshot the restaurant's response. This documentation helps if you later dispute the charge with your bank or credit card company.

Refund timing and where the money goes

Refunds issued during the confirmation window go back to your original payment method — the credit card, debit card, or digital wallet you used to purchase the order. This process is automatic and does not require you to do anything. The refund typically appears within 3 to 5 business days, though the exact timing depends on your bank and the payment processor Too Good To Go uses.

Some restaurants use third-party payment processors instead of Too Good To Go's main system. These refunds can take an additional 1 to 2 business days because the processor must route the money back through an extra step. If your refund does not appear within 5 business days, check your bank's pending transactions first — sometimes refunds show as "pending" before they settle.

If 5 business days have passed and the refund has not arrived, contact Too Good To Go support through the app. Have your order number, the date of cancellation, and a screenshot of your payment ready. Support can trace the refund and confirm whether it was issued or if there was a processing error on the restaurant's end.

When Too Good To Go keeps the money as a credit

If you cancel a confirmed order and the restaurant's policy does not permit refunds, Too Good To Go will not return your money to your bank account. Instead, the amount becomes a credit balance in your Too Good To Go account. You can see this balance in the app under your account settings or payment history.

This credit can be used to purchase any meal from any restaurant on the Too Good To Go platform. There is no expiration date on credits, so you can use it whenever you choose. However, if you do not want to use the credit and want cash back instead, you have limited options. You can contact Too Good To Go support and explain that you cancelled due to circumstances beyond your control — illness, emergency, or a restaurant error — and request a refund exception. Support reviews these requests individually, but there is no may provide they will approve it.

If support denies your refund request, your only remaining option is to dispute the charge with your bank or credit card company. This is a formal dispute process that can take 30 to 60 days. You will need to explain to your bank that you cancelled the order and Too Good To Go is holding the money as a non-refundable credit. Your bank will then contact Too Good To Go to investigate. This process works sometimes, but it is slower and more adversarial than resolving it directly with the app.

Disputing a refund with your bank if Too Good To Go will not refund

If Too Good To Go refuses to refund your money and you believe the charge was unfair, you can file a dispute with your bank or credit card company. This is called a chargeback or a dispute claim, depending on your bank's terminology. You initiate this through your bank's app or website, not through Too Good To Go.

When you file a dispute, your bank will ask you to describe what happened and provide evidence. For Too Good To Go disputes, this means screenshots of the order, the cancellation, and any communication with the restaurant or Too Good To Go support. Your bank will then contact Too Good To Go and ask them to respond. This process typically takes 30 to 60 days.

Banks are more likely to rule in your favor if you cancelled during the confirmation window and Too Good To Go did not process the refund, or if the restaurant confirmed an order they could not fulfill. Banks are less likely to side with you if you cancelled a confirmed order and the restaurant's policy clearly stated no refunds — in that case, you agreed to the terms when you purchased.

How to avoid refund problems with Too Good To Go

The best way to avoid refund issues is to cancel during the confirmation window whenever possible. Do not wait until after the restaurant confirms. Check the app frequently during the countdown timer, and if you change your mind, cancel when ready.

Before you purchase, read the restaurant's cancellation policy if it is listed in the app. Some restaurants display this information prominently; others do not. If the policy is unclear, contact the restaurant directly through the app's messaging feature and ask about their cancellation terms before you buy.

If you must cancel a confirmed order, do it as soon as possible and take a screenshot of the cancellation confirmation and any message from the restaurant. If the restaurant issues a credit instead of a refund, ask them in writing (through the app) whether they can process a refund instead. Document their response. This creates a record if you later need to dispute the charge.

Keep your Too Good To Go account email and password find, and monitor your account regularly for unexpected charges. If you see a charge you did not authorize, report it to Too Good To Go support when ready — this is different from a cancellation dispute and may be handled faster.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a Too Good To Go refund take if I cancel before confirmation?

Refunds issued during the confirmation window appear within 3 to 5 business days. If the restaurant uses a third-party payment processor, add 1 to 2 extra business days. Business days do not include weekends or holidays, so a cancellation on Friday may not show until the following Wednesday.

Can I get a refund if the restaurant cancelled my order instead of me cancelling?

Yes. If the restaurant cancels a confirmed order, Too Good To Go automatically refunds your payment to your original payment method. This refund is not optional — the restaurant cannot hold your money as a credit if they are the ones who cancelled. The timing is the same: 3 to 5 business days.

What if I cancelled but the refund never showed up?

First, check your bank account and look for pending transactions — refunds sometimes appear as pending before they settle. If 5 business days have passed and nothing shows, contact Too Good To Go support with your order number and a screenshot of the cancellation. They can confirm whether the refund was issued and trace it if it got stuck in processing.

Can I get my money back instead of a store credit?

If you cancelled during the confirmation window, the refund goes back to your bank automatically. If you cancelled after confirmation and the restaurant issued a credit, you can ask Too Good To Go support for a refund exception, but they are not required to grant it. Your other option is to dispute the charge with your bank, which takes 30 to 60 days.

Does cancelling Too Good To Go orders hurt my account or get me banned?

Cancelling during the confirmation window has no penalty and does not affect your account. Cancelling confirmed orders repeatedly may eventually trigger a warning from Too Good To Go, but a single cancellation will not. If you cancel a confirmed order, the restaurant sees it, and they may be less likely to confirm your future orders from them, but Too Good To Go itself does not penalize you.