Insomnia Cookies

26 04 2008
  • 603 E. Grand River Ave.Insomnia Cookies
  • East Lansing, MI 48223
  • 877-63-Cookie
  • Website
  • Menu

I first heard of Insomnia after watching Unwrapped on the Food Network.  Imagine our surprse when we accidently found one near the campus Michigan State University.  We didn’t stop in the first time we saw it, but after a meal one Saturday afternoon at Dublin Square we decided to hit Insomnia up for dessert.

The shop is located right on Grand River which is East Lansing’s main business district just across the street from MSU.  The shop is pretty small.  There are a couple tables against the windows and there’s a counter (made out of Boos Blocks) on the other side.  Behind a small sheet of glass, they have samples of their cookies and brownies.  In probably the rudest, worst example of customer service, we were greeted by a college girl who probably didn’t want to be there talking on her cell phone.  She couldn’t even put the phone down long enough to take our order.  The whole time my girlfriend was ordering, she kept the phone plastered to her ear.

Insomnia CookiesWe got the Sugar Rush deal.  Six cookies and six brownies for $13.  Our ordered included three chocolate chunk cookies, one sugar cookie, and two peanut butter chunk cookies.  We got pretty much one of each of their brownie choices.

After a few minutes in the kitchen, the server brought out our box of the most delicious cookies and brownies we’ve ever had.  We took the box home because there is no way we needed that much sugar right after dinner, but it was so, so hard to put the box away once we got home. 

I grabbed a chocolate chunk cookie right away.  Even after the drive home, it was so gooey and soft.  It was delicious.  My girlfriend grabbed the marshmallow topped brownie and said the same thing.  There was a nice crunchy crust and the inside was so moist and chewey.

Other than the rude, obnoxious server, Insomnia was amazing.  Just sitting here right now I’m having a hard time not getting up and grabbing another cookie.  I don’t think they are going to last very long.  Insomnia Cookie shops can be found exclusively on college campuses.  There are 13 locations nationwide and they all stay up late to feed a late night craving. 


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Categories : Bakery, Chains, East Lansing, Michigan, Reviews

Arby’s buys Wendy’s

25 04 2008

I don’t eat fast food very often, but when I do, I usually eat Arby’s.  I love their fries.  They were one of the first and still one of the few that actually use fresh cut fries instead of those crappy processed ones.  The Associated Press had an article yesterday on the sale of rival fast food chain Wendy’s.

The deal comes as Wendy’s struggles with declining profits and weak sales compared with rivals McDonald’s Corp. and Burger King Holdings Inc.

Wendy’s said Thursday that its first quarter profit was down 72 percent to $4.1 million, or 5 cents a share, in part because of expenses tied to the work of a special board committee that has been studying ways to boost the company’s stock. Revenue fell to $513 million from $522 million a year ago.

Sales at company-owned stores opened at least a year, considered a key indicator of a retailer’s strength, fell 1.6 percent in the quarter and 0.1 percent at U.S. franchise restaurants.

So, how would Dave Thomas feel about this?

Thomas’ daughter Pam Thomas Farber said the family was devastated by the news.

“It’s a very sad day for Wendy’s, and our family. We just didn’t think this would be the outcome,” said Farber, 53.

If her father were alive to hear news of the buyout, “he would not be amused,” she said.

No kidding.  It seems when the founder dies, those in charge always find a way to ruin a good thing.  It happened to Col. Sanders.  It happened to Sam Walton and now it’s happening to Dave Thomas.

Reminds me of the Chris Farley classic Tommy Boy.  It’s sad.  In their lifetime, these American icons build up their dream to make it something great, but as soon as they pass on, corporate greed takes over and destroys the concept and turns people off.  In all fairness, I’ve never been a huge fan of Wendy’s anyway.  I always thought it was too greasy.  As a kid, I ate there all the time.  My dad and brother loved it.  As long as I could get a Frosty, I was happy, but as I grew older, I sorta backed away from fast food. 


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Categories : Chains, Fast Food, Food News

Tim Hortons

24 04 2008
  • 5625 S. CedarTim Hortons
  • Lansing, MI 48911
  • (517) 882-3536
  • Website
  • Menu

So, Tim Hortons is the first chain restaurant I’ve eaten at since moving to Michigan.  It’s a chain I had never heard of before coming here, so we decided to stop in for a quick lunch one day after a morning of shopping.  The chain is based in Canada getting their start in Ontario in 1964.  In 2000, they opened their 2000th store in Toronto, ON.  In the US, their stores are mostly in the northern and eastern part of the country….closest to Canada.

Tim Hortons is a coffee shop and bakery that serves a few sanwiches and soups.  When you walk in, your senses are assaulted (in a good way) by baked goods in glass cases right up front.  Since we were there for lunch, we somehow managed to not give in to desire and just got sandwiches.

I got the turkey bacon club on white and my girlfriend got the same, but on wheat bread.  The bread takes a quick ride through the toaster oven then is piled with turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mustard.  My g/f and I had totally different takes on the sandwich.  The bread was good.  The turkey was good and you could smell the bacon.  We both agreed there.  The mustard was a big point of difference for us.  I thought the neon yellow mustard was way too tangy and I really didn’t like it.  I ended up taking off the bottom piece of bread on both sides of the sandwich and eating the remianing half like an open faced sandwich.  My g/f totally disagreed with me and loved the mustard and thought that it made the sandwich stand out.  I’m kind of glad we both got the same thing just so you can see how different people view the same thing.

We grabbed our sandwiches to go so we wouldn’t be tempted by the sweet treats just inches from us.  The total for two sandwiches was $8 and it only took about 5 minutes from the time we walked in the door.


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Categories : Chains, Lansing, Michigan, Reviews

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