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Normally, you can't take food out of the buffet area. However, in Singapore, you can pay around US$7.50 to buy leftover buffet items from 5-star hotels.
Buffets are a popular dining option in Singapore, but they can be quite expensive. Lunch at a buffet restaurant in a 5-star hotel will cost you SGD 50 (USD 35.50) or more. A cheaper alternative is the Treatsure app, launched in 2017. This "Buffet in a Box" app allows diners to pick up leftover food in boxes at one of dozens of partner hotels for SGD 10.50 (USD 7.50).
Preston Wong, co-founder of the Treatsure app, said the idea started when he saw his family throwing away expired food from their refrigerator.
The interface of the Treatsure app.
"We created Treatsure with the goal of minimizing food and beverage waste. This is a significant concern in the food manufacturing industry," said Preston Wong.
Marielle Descalsota, a writer for Insider, decided to try out the app, which has over 40,000 users, at the Clove restaurant in the Stamford Hotel. No reservation is required, but the hotel has a specific time slot each day, usually 30 minutes, for Treatsure users to pick up their food.
After scanning the app's QR code and paying, Marielle entered the restaurant—which was almost empty, with only a few people using Treatsure—and began filling her containers. She had dozens of choices, a wide variety of dishes, all still hot.
Clove primarily serves Asian food. Marielle expected to have to sort through leftovers, but was surprised to find many trays still full of food. Another user shared that the price was affordable and helped reduce food waste.
Experience eating leftover food at a 5-star hotel.
However, one drawback of this experience is that the best dishes are often gone – a privilege reserved for those who pay for the full buffet. For S$10.50, you get a container and can take as much as you like. If you want to add more food from the fresh food counter, you'll have to pay an extra S$5. Marielle said she found this unnecessary, as there was plenty of food and variety at the buffet counter.
Treatsure users are not allowed to eat in the restaurant. Therefore, Marielle went to a nearby open-air food court for lunch. Although not piping hot anymore, the food was still quite good, especially the desserts, which are quite expensive in Singapore. The Insider writer said she would use the app again, especially as food prices continue to rise.
The food was still piping hot.
Guests are free to choose as much food as they like from a tray.
According to data from Singapore's Environment Agency, in 2021, the country had to dispose of nearly 817,000 tons of leftover food. At buffets, half of that food is thrown away. Preston Wong says his partners aim to eliminate the disposal of leftover food.
"Treatsure targets partners who share the values of sustainable tourism. We are also the first service of its kind in Singapore," Wong said. Furthermore, Treatsure is not the first app to offer this type of service. Makan Rescue, an app that informs users about places that distribute free leftover food, is another example.
