Everything you need to know about using BringItBack, the containers themselves, and how rewards work. We add new questions as the pilot grows.
BringItBack is a reusable takeout program. Participating restaurants serve your meal in a durable stainless steel container instead of one that gets thrown away.
You enjoy your food, return the empty container to any participating restaurant, and we professionally wash it so it can serve another meal. Every return earns you rewards.
Every BringItBack container has a unique code that lets us track its journey through the reuse system. Claim it one of two easy ways:
Claiming the code locks in your reward for that container. You only need to claim it once, and your reward is released when the container is verified at the wash facility.
No. You can receive and return a BringItBack container without downloading an app or creating an account.
If you want to claim a container code, get rewards, or participate in BringItBack activities, then BringItBack needs a way to recognize you as a member. When you claim a container code by scanning the QR code or texting the code on the container, a BringItBack account is automatically created for you.
Everything works right in your phone's web browser: no app to download and no password to remember. Your identity in the BringItBack system is simply a member number.
Adding contact information to your account is optional, but recommended. It helps protect your account, lets you sign in on a new device, and makes sure we can reach you when you've won a reward. You don't have to add it right away, but we'll need contact information before we can send you a cash payout or certain rewards.
Drop it off at any participating restaurant, even if it's not where you got it. Or text PICKUP to (929) 660-2469 to request a pickup.
If you have a chance, a quick rinse is always appreciated, but it's never required. We'll take care of the professional washing from there.
As soon as you're finished with it. Think days, not weeks. Every container you're holding is one that can't serve another meal, so the sooner it's back, the better.
And speed is rewarded. Your clock starts when you claim the container code and stops when we verify the return at our wash facility:
No stress if life gets in the way. You'll always earn your regular return BIBoints, however long it takes. The speed bonus is extra for returning containers quickly, so restaurants have enough containers available to serve the next meal.
No problem. There's no deposit and no late fee. Return it whenever you can and you'll still earn your regular return BIBoints.
Just remember: the container is worth more in the system than in your possession. If you're going to be a while, text PICKUP to (929) 660-2469 and we'll arrange to come get it.
No. Just empty out any leftover food first.
If you have a chance, a quick rinse is always appreciated, but it's never required. We'll take care of the commercial washing and sanitizing from there.
Accidents happen, and we understand. There's no deposit and no automatic fee for a lost or damaged container.
Please don't throw away a damaged container. Return it anyway. Many can be repaired and serve hundreds more meals. If it can't be repaired, we'll recycle it responsibly.
Yes. Every container is professionally washed, sanitized, inspected, and verified before it serves another meal.
This is how restaurants have always kept plates, glasses, and utensils safe. Cleanliness comes from proper washing, not from throwing something away.
After each return, every container is professionally washed, sanitized, and inspected using commercial food-service procedures that meet New York State health requirements.
Before returning to circulation, every container is visually inspected and verified to ensure it's clean, safe, and ready to serve another meal.
No. The container is stainless steel, and metal should never go in a microwave.
If you want to reheat your food in a microwave, transfer it to a microwave-safe plate or bowl first.
Yes. The stainless steel container is oven-safe and can also be used on the stovetop.
Use caution. The container and lid will become HOT. Always use oven mitts or a towel when handling a heated container.
No. Our containers close securely, but we intentionally designed them without a sealing ring, so we don't call them leakproof.
Why no ring? Sealing rings can create a strong vacuum with hot food, making containers difficult to open. They also add another material that can wear out, become a waste stream, and require extra attention to keep clean and free of mold.
For foods with lots of liquid, keep the container upright during transport.
BringItBack containers measure 6" × 4.5" × 2" and hold 28 oz (850 mL).
We're starting with one size to keep the system simple. As BringItBack grows, we plan to add more container sizes and options.
Food-grade stainless steel. It's built to be used many times, holds up to commercial washing, and doesn't stain or hold odors the way single-use plastic can. At the end of its long life, stainless steel is fully recyclable.
Compostable packaging still follows the throwaway model: make a new container, use it once, throw it out.
Reuse skips that cycle entirely. Instead of making better waste, we prevent the waste from being created in the first place.
We’re glad you like it—but this one needs to come back.
BringItBack containers belong to the reuse system and are meant to serve meal after meal. Return it, earn your BIBoints, and keep returning. Eventually, you’ll have the chance to earn one of your own.
You can't buy one, but you will be able to earn one.
BringItBack containers belong to the reuse system and are meant to keep circulating. Keep returning containers, you'll discover when you've earned one of your own.
BIBoints (BringItBack points, the “P” is silent) are the rewards points you earn for helping keep containers in circulation. A verified return can earn:
Every BIBoint brings you closer to your next reward.
You can use your BIBoints in two ways:
You can keep earning and saving your BIBoints for as long as you'd like.
Your BIBoints are released as soon as your returned container is scanned and verified at our wash facility.
That's the moment your return is complete and your pending BIBoints become available.
We verify every return before releasing BIBoints to confirm the container has been returned. Verification also lets us accurately measure our return rate, one of the most important ways we know the BringItBack system is working.
Every verified return brings you closer to your next reward.
Each milestone unlocks something new. The only way to discover your next reward is to keep returning containers.
No. Your BIBoints stay on your account as you build toward your next reward.
BIBoints stay with the member who earned them and can't be moved to another account. This keeps rewards tied to the person actually bringing containers back.
Yes, in a few situations.
If you lose access to your account without adding a recovery email or phone number, we may not be able to recover your BIBoints. If you delete your account, your BIBoints are permanently deleted.
We may also correct or remove BIBoints that were earned through fraud, abuse, or a system error.
The easiest way to protect your BIBoints is to add a recovery email to your account. A phone number is optional, but it can also help us recover your account if needed.
BIBcakes are BringItBack sweepstakes! They're another way for members to win prizes while keeping reuse in motion. Prizes can change from one BIBcake to the next, and each one has its own closing date.
Why BIBcakes? Because sweepstakes sounded a little too serious, and sweet-stakes was right there. 😏
Nope. No membership, no purchase, and no BIBoints required. Whenever a BIBcake is live, anyone can enter for free on our BIBcakes page. Just provide your email and phone number so we can contact you if you win. One free entry per person, per BIBcake.
Entering a BIBcake does not make you a BringItBack Member. A free entry is simply one entry into that BIBcake. Joining BringItBack is separate: you become a Member when you get a meal in a BringItBack container and claim it.
Member features such as BIBoints, Sweepstakes Tickets, and Watch & earn aren't available to non-Member entrants.
Members have additional ways to participate. They can use Sweepstakes Tickets they've earned or saved, and Members who have returned a container within the last 30 days can also receive a free entry. But the door is open to everyone. No purchase necessary.
We keep the information requested from non-Member entrants limited to what's needed to administer the BIBcake and contact a winner. We don't turn a free entry into a BringItBack membership or marketing signup.
Want to see who won? Results for completed BIBcakes are posted on our BIBcakes results page.
Sweepstakes Tickets are a BringItBack Member feature that gives you extra chances to win BIBcakes. They have no cash value and never expire.
Members can exchange BIBoints for Tickets at 5 BIBoints = 1 Sweepstakes Ticket, earn Tickets by watching sponsored videos and through special rewards, or receive them from BringItBack.
Use as many Tickets as you want in any open BIBcake. The more Tickets you enter, the more chances you have to win. You can move your Tickets out of an open BIBcake before it closes and use them in another one.
Once BIBoints are exchanged for Sweepstakes Tickets, they can never be converted back into BIBoints. Tickets also can't be transferred to another Member.
Protect your Tickets: Add an email address to your BringItBack account so you don't lose access if your phone number changes.
Ads help support BringItBack. Revenue from sponsors helps pay for the system behind reuse, including collecting, washing, tracking, and keeping reusable containers in circulation. Sponsors may also help fund prizes and other Member rewards.
We don't sell your personal information to advertisers, and BringItBack ads aren't targeted to you based on your personal information or activity. Advertisers don't need to know who you are for their ads to support reuse.
Your attention can help fund reuse. Your personal information doesn't have to.
Watching or viewing an ad is always optional. Watch & earn is a Member feature. Members who choose to engage with certain sponsored content can earn Sweepstakes Tickets and use them toward a live BIBcake or save them for a future one.
Non-Members don't need to watch ads to enter a BIBcake. The free entry option is their way in, no purchase necessary. Entering for free does not make someone a BringItBack Member or give them access to Watch & earn.
You never have to watch an ad to be a Member, claim or return a container, or enter a BIBcake.
To earn a Ticket, Members can open the 🎟️ BIBcakes card and tap Watch & earn. Complete the required sponsored view and the Ticket lands in your balance.
Simple: we want our containers back! BIBcakes make returning containers more rewarding and give members another reason to return them sooner. The faster containers come back, the sooner they can be washed, recirculated, and used to serve another meal.
They're also fair by design: you never have to spend a thing to play. If you've returned a container within 30 days of an active BIBcake, you get one free entry in that sweepstakes.
So whether you're saving your BIBoints or going after the prize, you're still in the running. It's our way of giving back to the members who keep reuse in motion.
We believe reuse should be as convenient as disposable. Most takeout containers are used once and thrown away, then remade for the next meal.
BringItBack replaces that cycle with containers designed to come back, so the neighborhood creates less waste without anyone changing how they order.
BringItBack owns the containers. When you take one, you're borrowing it, not buying it. Returning it keeps it in circulation for the next person and earns you rewards. That's the whole idea.
Not right away, but eventually, yes.
We keep getting started as simple as possible, so an email and phone number aren't required to join BringItBack. As you earn rewards, we'll ask you to add at least one way to reach you so we can protect your account and make sure rewards go to the right member.
We don't add friction to joining BringItBack. We add it when it's time to pay. We remove friction to join and add just enough friction to protect your rewards.
We're not tracking you. We don't sell your information, and we'll never spam you. Our goal is simple: get more containers returned, not collect more of your data.
We'd love to have you. Email support@bringitback.nyc and we'll walk you through getting set up.
We handle the containers, the logistics, and the washing, so you keep serving great food.
We're always interested in meeting people who want to help make reuse the default.
For partnerships, media inquiries, community collaborations, or just to say hello, reach us at hello@bringitback.nyc.
We're happy to help. Reach out any time.