What is Westwood Village without its iconic movie theater, college apartment streets and of course Diddy Riese cookies? Every UCLA student has tried Diddy Riese at least once, whether it’s from a Bruin Walk fundraiser, club social or late night snack after an evening out with friends. Love them or hate them, Diddy Riese cookies are part of UCLA culture and run Westwood. However, a new cookie store has opened less than 0.1 miles away: Insomnia Cookies. The national chain is known for dominating college towns with its late-night delivery service of warm cookies, milk and now ice cream. It was only a matter of time before they came to UCLA, and now there is the big question: Diddy Riese or Insomnia?
College kids love cheap food. The low prices of Diddy Riese are what helped it become so popular. Each cookie is $0.50, an ice cream sandwich (two cookies with a scoop of ice cream) is $3.50 and an ice cream cone is $2.50. Meanwhile, at Insomnia, regular cookies are $2.50 a piece. This is still not an awful price, but it is exponentially larger than Diddy Riese. If you want to treat yourself, going to Insomnia can work within one’s budget, but when bringing cookies to a party, social etc, Diddy Riese is a lot more wallet-friendly. An Insomnia ice cream sandwich or “Cookie-witch” is $8.50, five dollars more than the same item at Diddy Riese. The same goes for ice cream, as an order of ice cream is $7.50. However, it is important to note that the portion sizes for ice cream at Insomnia are larger. The smallest serving is three scoops in a cup, while at Diddy Riese, it is just one. Therefore, the higher price for the ice cream is justified, but not so much the cookies or ice cream sandwiches, for those are comparable in size.
In terms of menu items, the cookie flavors are relatively similar. The standard cookies at Diddy Riese include candy chocolate chip, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin walnut, peanut butter, white chocolate macadamia and more. They do not do seasonal flavors. Insomnia does offer seasonal flavors such as an apple pie cookie in the fall, but their standard cookie flavors include chocolate chunk, classic with M&Ms, peanut butter chip, snickerdoodle, sugar, white chocolate macadamia and more. Insomnia also caters to an audience that Diddy Riese does not: vegans. The menu generally has a few vegan options, including vegan birthday cake (which I’ve tried and is very good), vegan chocolate chunk and vegan double chocolate chunk. Therefore, students and patrons who struggled to eat at Diddy Riese have a place at Insomnia. Finally, all cookies at Insomnia are served warm, while cookies at Diddy Riese are room temperature.
Each franchise also offers menu items the other does not have. For example, at Diddy Riese, one can order shaved ice or a brownie if they are not in the mood for cookies or ice cream. Insomnia offers milk one can drink with their cookies, ice cream cake and specialty icings such as cookie butter icing. In a nutshell, Diddy Riese sticks to the basics, but if you want something a little more extra, go to Insomnia.
The most crucial difference between Insomnia and Diddy Riese is the delivery services. Insomnia has a built-in delivery service that delivers warm cookies up to one in the morning, sometimes up to three in the morning. Their later closing time is better for late-night snacks. I’ve personally tested the delivery service, and my cookies came very quickly (about 20 minutes after my order was placed), and were still warm because they traveled in an insulated carrier. Granted, a half dozen cookies including the delivery fee was about $20, but it was a nice treat and great service. Diddy Riese does not have a delivery service. They ship cookies nationally, but that is currently suspended for operation reasons. If you want Diddy Riese cookies delivered to you, you need to go through a third party delivery service, such as Uber Eats. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but the service takes longer, and the cookies aren’t warm when delivered. Therefore, Insomnia wins in this aspect.
After comparing the two, the question still remains. Diddy Riese or Insomnia? Honestly, the answer depends on your personality and preferences. If you like an extra experience, are vegan or want some fun flavors, go to Insomnia. If you are more old-fashioned and care about more simple things or just want to get as many cookies/ice cream for as little as possible, go to Diddy Riese. My advice, don’t discount one. Try both, and see what Westwood cookie shop will be your go-to.