“I’m hungryyyyy… ”
You and I know we’ve both said it before, whether out loud to friends or silently to ourselves. But this isn’t just any hunger.
It’s a hunger for snacks.
There is just this specific kind of hunger that hits when you're a college student. It is not really lunch, because you already ate, and definitely not dinner, because dinner is still three hours away. It is more like the sudden realization, usually somewhere along Locust Walk, that you need something immediately or the rest of your afternoon is going to feel unnecessarily difficult.
And luckily, we’re here at Penn, one of the most beautiful college campuses in the nation and, not to mention, one of the most convenient. There are a variety of restaurants within a 5-10 minute walk from wherever you are on campus. If you’re craving something beyond the local spots, then Center City and Chinatown are always a 15-minute SEPTA subway ride away. There, you’ll find some of the best food the world can offer. But don’t worry, there is almost always something close by to satisfy that growling stomach on campus.
A cookie. A milk tea. A carton of fries. A pint of ice cream you absolutely did not need. Maybe a bag of chips that somehow turns into a sandwich, a drink, and $17 missing from your bank account. No matter what you’re craving, Penn has the snack spot to make it happen.
Instead of trying to find the “best restaurant” around campus, which feels almost impossible to define anyway, I wanted to look at something much more practical: the places we actually go when we just want a snack.
Not a reservation. Not a sit-down dinner. Just something delicious, fast, and close enough that you can convince yourself you will still make it to class on time. And today, I’m going to take a dive into 5 of the most popular snack spots on campus.
Wawa
*Photo Credit : Hilary Kissinger (WHYY)
We all know that there are very few places where you can walk in wanting a bottle of water and somehow leave carrying a hoagie, a bag of chips, a drink, and something you found near the register that you had no intention of buying. Luckily for Penn, that place is Wawa. This convenience store is the go-to place for your late-night snacks and drinks. I can not explain to you how convenient this place is for Penn students. Not only is it open 24/7, but it has hot-and-ready options for students looking for a quick snack any time of the day.
Look, I don’t think anybody goes into Wawa expecting some life-changing culinary experience. That’s not really the point. The appeal is that Wawa almost always has an answer to whatever random craving you have at that exact moment.
Want something salty? There is an entire aisle.
Something sweet? Another aisle.
Coffee? They’ve got 7 different varieties.
A sandwich at an hour when you probably should be asleep? Absolutely.
That is what makes Wawa one of the safest snack choices around campus. It requires almost no commitment. You can spend less than $10 or turn your “quick snack” into a full meal without even realizing it. Not only that, but there is also something strangely comforting about how predictable it is. You know what you are getting before you even walk through the door. When the rest of the day is lectures, meetings, assignments, and running from one side of campus to another, sometimes predictable is exactly what you want. I know this place seems like any old convenience store, but those late-night snacks would not be the same without the unspoken Wawa rule that no one has ever judged anyone for buying a pretzel, a Tastykake, and an iced coffee in the same trip.
2. Molly Tea
*Photo Credit: Subiksha Ganesh (The Triangle)
I hate to break it to you all, but I think Molly Tea is just a tad bit overrated. Don't get me wrong, the drinks are good, but do I think you need to spend $7 or $8 on milk tea every week? Absolutely not.
And yet, somehow, we all keep coming back.
Unlike Wawa, where half the experience is wandering around until something looks good, going to Molly Tea feels more intentional. There is something about getting milk tea between classes that makes an ordinary afternoon feel slightly less ordinary.
Maybe it is the pink cup. Maybe it is the toppings. Maybe it is because walking around campus holding a drink somehow makes you feel like you have your life more together than you actually do. Whatever it is, Molly Tea fills a very specific category of snack: the liquid snack.
Now, I will give Molly Tea some credit. One thing I genuinely appreciate is its menu. Unlike your typical Starbucks or Pret, Molly Tea offers a variety of floral-inspired teas and unique flavor combinations that you don't normally see at other drink shops. From its signature jasmine milk tea to its more creative tea combinations, there is definitely something refreshing about having options beyond your usual coffee or traditional bubble tea.
And honestly, I think that is what keeps people coming back. It is not necessarily because Molly Tea serves the greatest milk tea you will ever have, but because the experience itself feels like a little reward. You finish an exhausting lecture, survive a midterm, or simply want an excuse to take a break with your friends, and suddenly spending eight dollars on a drink doesn't sound so unreasonable anymore.
So, is Molly Tea overhyped? Maybe a little. But does it deserve a spot near the top of this list? I think so. Between its unique flavors, convenient location, and the little bit of happiness that comes with treating yourself, Molly Tea has earned its place.
3. Mcdonald’s
*Photo Credit: Crawford Smith (mashed)
Next up, we have McDonald’s, because sometimes you are not looking for anything fancy. You just want fries, nuggets, or a McFlurry, and you want it fast. (Well, considerably “fast,” as the Walnut Street location is always busy.)
I feel like McDonald’s is one of those places that doesn’t need much explaining. Everybody already has their go-to order. And honestly, that familiarity is part of why it works so well around campus.
I will say, though, I probably go to McDonald’s less than most people because I used to work there. Not because I learned some terrible secret or anything like that, so please do not let me ruin McDonald’s for you. I just ate it so much while I was working there that eventually I got tired of it. There are only so many fries and nuggets you can look at before the craving starts disappearing.
That being said, I still completely understand the appeal.
The Walnut Street McDonald’s is especially useful because it is open 24 hours, which automatically makes it one of the better late-night options near Penn. Whether you are coming back from a night out, grabbing a quick bite with friends, or just randomly craving fries at midnight, it is always there.
And let’s be real, McDonald’s fries hit differently late at night.
During the day, they are just fries. But at 1 a.m., after a long day of classes and assignments, somehow they become one of the best things you have ever eaten. I don’t even know if that is hunger, exhaustion, or pure delusion, but I am not going to question it.
The best part is that you can keep it cheap. A small order of fries, a few nuggets, or something off the value menu is enough to satisfy the craving without turning your “snack” into a $20 purchase.
McDonald’s is not going to impress you, and it does not need to. It is cheap, familiar, open late, and reliable, which is exactly why I think it earns the number three spot.
4. Gourmet Grocer
*Photo Credit : Penn Dining
In fourth place, we have 1920s Gourmet Grocers or, as basically every Penn student calls it, Grommons.
Grommons is probably the least exciting place on this list, but somehow also one of the most useful. Nobody wakes up in the morning thinking, “Wow, I really want Grommons today.” You go because it’s there, you’re hungry, and you have about ten minutes before your next class.
And honestly, that is exactly why it made the list.
Now, what makes Grommons especially convenient for Penn students is how well it works with the dining plan. You can use a meal swipe to get a main dish, a snack, a fruit, and a drink all at once, which makes it one of the easiest places to grab a full meal without sitting down anywhere. You can also use Dining Dollars on items throughout the store, including things that you normally would not be able to get with a meal swipe.
You can walk in, grab a fun drink, chips, fruit, something from the hot bar, or whatever random snack looks good that day, and be back on Locust Walk within a few minutes (if it’s not during a passing period!).
For me, Grommons is the definition of a convenience snack. It is not necessarily the cheapest or the best food around campus, but when you are already in Commons or rushing somewhere nearby, convenience starts mattering a lot more than quality. I have definitely had those moments where I tell myself I am just going in for one small thing, and somehow I walk out with a drink, two snacks, and something I probably could have survived without.
But that’s kind of the Grommons experience.
It’s reliable, fast, and always there when you realize halfway through the day that whatever you ate earlier was definitely not enough. It may not be the most exciting spot near campus, but for pure convenience, it earns its place at number four.
5. Van Leeuwen
*Photo Credit: Van Leewen
Last but not least, we have Van Leeuwen Ice Cream. This might be one of the pricier “small treats” on this list, but trust me, this place is worth your money. And yes, I know, Van Leeuwen is one of those places where you walk in wanting one scoop, look at the price, question whether you really need ice cream that badly, and then order it anyway.
And to be fair, it is actually really good.
The ice cream is rich, the flavors are more interesting than what you would find at a normal ice cream shop, and with new flavors dropping seasonally, there’s always something new to keep you coming back. It definitely feels more like a treat than a casual snack, which is probably why I do not go all the time.
I feel like Van Leeuwen is perfect for those days when you just finished an exam, submitted a huge assignment, or simply survived a long week and decide that you deserve a treat. It is not cheap enough for me to justify going whenever I randomly crave ice cream, but once in a while, it hits.
That is really the biggest thing holding it back from being higher on this list. If it were cheaper, I would probably be there way more often. But for a once-in-a-while dessert near campus, Van Leeuwen is hard to complain about.
Sometimes you just have to ignore the price, get the scoop, and deal with the money problem later.