In recent years, the popularization of cookie shops like Crumbl Cookie have become sensationalized through social media. If you use Tik Tok, you are probably well aware of this and possibly have even tried them yourself. However, those who believe that Crumbl’s cookies are the best choice to satiate their sweet tooth are in for a rude awakening. When it comes to baked goods, Insomnia Cookies takes the cake (or cookie).

Founded in 2008, nine years before Crumbl, Insomnia humbly began as a food truck company. In 2016, they were finally able to transition from food trucks to permanent building locations, including their shop in Conshohocken, PA (the closest location to the Pennridge area). Although long, the 40-minute drive to this location is definitely worth it, even just to try one of their 19 flavors (like chocolate chunk, snickerdoodle, red velvet, etc.) including four vegan options and one gluten-free option. One of Crumbl Cookie’s shortcomings is its inability to provide options for customers with dietary restrictions. Insomnia Cookies also provides its customers with more bite for their buck, pricing their regular cookies at only $1.25 and their deluxe cookies at $2.50. Compared to Crumbl, which prices their cookies at $4, buying from Insomnia will save you $1.50 to $2.75 per cookie. Insomnia also gives its customers the option to order other tasty treats besides cookies, including ice cream sandwiches and brownies, and to top it all off (literally) they have three different flavors of icing on their menu to purchase in addition to the baked good of your choice.

Despite all of the aforementioned reasons as to why more people should favor Insomnia Cookies, only 30 out of 86 Pennridge students who were surveyed stated that they preferred Insomnia over Crumbl. But, why is this? The answer is simple: exposure. Most of those who favored Crumbl explained that they had never tried Insomnia Cookies before, and therefore did not have the necessary experience to give an unbiased opinion. Insomnia’s lack of Pennridge customers is most likely due to their underwhelming social media presence (especially on Tik Tok), at least compared to Crumbl. In fact, Crumbl Cookie was founded in 2017 but only skyrocketed to popularity in 2021 after creating a Tik Tok account and amassing over 3.5 million followers. When asked, Pennridge seniors Brielle Yencha and Devin McOwen both claimed that they only knew of Crumbl Cookie through social media. “They remind me of cookies my grandma would make. The other ones look too artificial and sugary,” says McOwen about Insomnia Cookies when asked to compare them visually to Crumbl’s cookies. Her statement indicates that if Insomnia were to have the same social media exposure as Crumbl, then they would be just as, if not far more, popular than Crumbl Cookies among Pennridge students.

One possible issue that some may have with Insomnia Cookie is the “basic” flavors they have in comparison to Crumbl, which switches out the six flavors of cookies they have each week for new ones. For those of you who hold this opinion, try to think of Insomnia’s “limited” cookie catalog from a new perspective. If you have a favorite flavor, you can always come back and get it again unlike with Crumbl Cookie’s ever-changing inventory. The entirety of Crumbl Cookie’s brand revolves around trends. Their flavors rotate from week to week mimicking the cycle of social media trends fading in and out of popularity that led to their rise to fame. Insomnia Cookie flavors are not basic, but classic and consistent just like them; a timeless company that transcends trends.
So, next time you find yourself craving something sweet, don’t crumble under the pressure of being a trend follower, and go to Insomnia Cookie!