College is the most miserable time of your life. Whether it be weed-out courses, roommate problems or juggling a part-time job on top of a full course load, you are probably about to rip your hair out right now. Only one thing can soothe your suffering: cookies.
OK, cookies are probably not the only thing. But grabbing a six pack of sweets from Insomnia Cookies is definitely a step in the right direction. Or you could save time and the steps by having them delivered right to your door.
Insomnia Cookies is downtown Columbia’s latest addition, located on the ground level of the Lofts at 308 Ninth St., across from Walter Williams Hall.
The company was started in 2003 by then-college-student Seth Berkowitz on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus. Since then the company has opened 70 stores nationwide — 24 of which opened in the last year.
“(Berkowitz) realized that the late-night food available to him was not the sweets he was craving, and so he began delivering warm cookies to friends on campus,” Insomnia Cookies marketing manager Tracie Kurtz says. “We have been feeding the insatiable hunger of college students ever since.”
Insomnia’s convenient location makes it ideal for MU students, especially those going to the bars downtown or studying for exams in Ellis Library. They are open until 3 a.m., giving customers plenty of time to stop by the store or order for delivery during a late-night sugar craving. They sell their cookies in bulk sizes ranging from six cookies to 300.
Insomnia also offers fundraising opportunities to students who want to raise money for organizations or to study abroad. Customers can also ship Insomnia Cookies anywhere in the U.S.
Traditional cookies cost $1.45 each, and upgrading to deluxe cookies costs $1.50 more. Ice cream or icing cookie sandwiches are also available. My favorite cookie was the double mint chip for its balance of mint and sweetness.
If you are a weight watcher, calorie information is online or available in-store. Insomnia’s snickerdoodle is the option with the least caloric intake: 180 calories per cookie. Or you could add a bottle of milk to make your snack in between classes more nutritious. But let’s be real here: We are talking about cookies. The Student Recreation Complex is going to charge you regardless, so you might as well enjoy a cookie now and hit the gym later.
Insomnia’s cookies are a little more expensive than Hot Box Cookies, which is native to Columbia. But for deliveries, Insomnia is the best option. Their minimum price on deliveries is $6 instead of Hot Box’s $14 minimum. Insomnia’s delivery fee is a dollar cheaper and there is no service fee. Insomnia also offers cookie bundles without drinks, an option not available at Hot Box.
When I ordered a delivery from Insomnia, the cookies arrived within 20 minutes. They were fresh out of the oven and still warm. In comparison to Hot Box, Insomnia took about half the time to deliver.
Kurtz says how Insomnia Cookies squares up against the competition is something the company never focuses on.
“We love what we do and we do it well and are confident that our warm, delicious products speak for themselves,” Kurtz says.