I ran out of dining dollars recently and have started resorting to DoorDash much more than I care to admit. It is bad, I know, but I just cannot deal with the Bucknell dining options anymore. If I am paying out of pocket at this point, I might as well pay a few extra bucks for food that is actually worth it.

Late night during the week, though, it sucks. The only things really open are Domino’s, Sheetz and a few convenience stores like 7-Eleven. You can never really go wrong with Sheetz or Domino’s. Sheetz, especially, is super reliable when you are craving something greasy and filling. But it gets old fast and, honestly, Sheetz can be too greasy if you are not in the mood for it.

One new spot I have recently found is a place called Owl’s Nest. They serve authentic Turkish food and stay open super late. It is a little pricier than I would like, but it is worth it because the food is delicious and the portions are huge. We do not have many great Middle Eastern spots around here, so being able to order a Döner kebab wrap or a falafel platter feels like such a luxury. I really recommend trying them out if you are sick of the usual pizza and fast food cycle. Plus, the portions are good, the food is flavorful and it feels a lot more satisfying than inhaling a greasy burger at midnight.

Another place I love is the new Pakistani restaurant in town, Rumi. They are not on DoorDash yet, which is honestly a tragedy. But they are absolutely worth checking out if you are willing to go pick something up. Speaking as a Pakistani American myself, the food is legit. When the day finally comes that they get on DoorDash, it is over for my bank account.

Also, if you are ordering food regularly, you need to make sure you get the student DashPass. It saves you so much money on delivery fees and actually makes DoorDash kind of affordable, or at least as affordable as late night takeout can get.

Outside of those spots, here is my personal ranking for the best DoorDash options in Lewisburg:

Tonino’s Pizza or Vennari’s Pizza for Italian. Both are super tasty and affordable and have huge portions. I am obsessed with the pasta at Tonino’s. It always hits the spot, and the portion sizes are massive for what you pay. Plus, they usually deliver pretty fast. Vennari’s is a little more basic, but they are even more affordable. You can get wings for around $4, sandwiches and strombolis for $7 or less and pasta dishes for under $8. If you want solid Italian food without dropping a fortune, both of these places are clutch and technically cheaper than the Bison depending on delivery fees and tip.

MOD Pizza in Selinsgrove is also super good if you are willing to order from a little farther out. Their pizzas are always fresh and customizable, and the lemonades are so refreshing. The only annoying part is that you cannot build your own pizza through DoorDash. You are stuck ordering from their preset options and, honestly, the pizza just does not hit the same when you cannot fully customize it.

Yung Ting for Chinese food. Always so good. Their cream cheese wontons are elite, and the portions are huge. It is just classic, comforting Chinese food that never misses, especially when you are tired and just want something warm and filling.

All Star Bagels is perfect for breakfast food cravings. They deliver faster than you would expect, and everything is always super fresh. I just wish they stayed open into the late afternoon or even evenings. As someone who grew up in Jersey, I am used to being able to grab a bagel pretty much any time of day, and I miss being able to order one later. Sometimes you just know a bagel at 5 p.m. would fix you in ways nothing else could.

Now on the flip side, there are places I try to avoid DoorDashing from.

I am not a huge fan of ordering McDonald’s, Subway or Taco Bell through DoorDash in Lewisburg. It always seems way worse than picking it up yourself, and the delivery times are insanely slow. You could probably drive there and back faster. The Lewisburg locations are pretty mid anyway.

I also avoid ordering from some sit-down restaurants in town like Bull Run through DoorDash. It always ends up taking way too long. Totally understandable, though. Sit-down restaurants are not designed for the quick pace of DoorDash orders, and you can tell they are probably prioritizing the people actually eating inside the restaurant, which makes sense. But when you are starving at 11 p.m. and your food still has not left the kitchen after an hour, it feels like a rough trade-off.

Honestly, the late night DoorDash scene around Bucknell is not the best, but if you know the right spots to hit, you can make it work without totally burning a hole in your wallet. Just make sure you familiarize yourself with the hours before you order, and brace yourself for some nights where your only real options are pizza, Sheetz, 7-Eleven and — if you’re lucky — a fire late-night gyro or falafel platter from Owl’s Nest.

If you find any more new spots that are open late and actually worth the money, please put everyone on. We are all suffering together. If more restaurants stayed open later, I swear they would make so much money — the demand is definitely there.