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If you've ever balked at buffet prices at high-end hotels, or happen to be particularly passionate about reducing food wastage, this app will probably be useful for you.

Treatsure, as the app is called, aims to reduce food wastage by connecting consumers to F&B establishments that have food surpluses.

One of its functions include being able to take away food from eateries, most of which are high-end hotels buffets.

However, quite a few are closed for renovation, while others are unavailable until further notice due to Covid-19.

How to use

It's quite straightforward to use, as no bookings are required.

Simply:

• Note the buffet timings on the app
• Arrive at the buffet in its last 30-60 minutes
• Flash the treatsure app, scan a QR code at the counter and make payment to receive a box from the restaurant
• Use the box to pack your food

There are two types of boxes to choose from: the hotel's box, or treatsure's reusable box.

The latter is usually a little cheaper, but you'll have to buy it in advance from the treatsure's e-store page for S$6.95.

Prices in general range from S$10 to S$12.

At Swissotel The Stamford's Clove, for instance, the hotel's disposable box costs S$10.50 nett, while the resusable Treatsure box costs S$10 nett.

Here's how a well-packed box might look:

There are a few caveats, however.

Customers are not allowed to dine in at the hotels -- it's a takeaway concept after all -- and more importantly, there are extra charges for certain categories of food.

This varies from hotel to hotel, but the price top-ups usually apply to raw seafood, seafood on ice, carving stations, drinks, ice cream, and sometimes dessert.

Clove charges a S$5 add-on for carving and live stations, S$3 add-on for juice, and S$5 add-on for coffee/tea.

Which doesn't seem too value-for-money, considering that the takeaway box is only S$10 and it allows you access to plenty of food already.

Additionally, since you're choosing from leftovers, the more popular dishes will probably be gone by the time you get there.

Top image via treatsure's Facebook page, Ashish Bagchi/Google Maps