Students constantly debate which place is better for a late night snack: Fran’s, the Southwest area staple serving comfort food, or Lisa’s, featuring Mexican cuisine on North Campus. In this episode, we ask students to share their opinions.

IAN LUNDEEN: You will not be catching me at Fran’s.

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JEREMY FREDRICKS: From The Daily Northwestern, I’m Jeremy Fredricks. This is NU Declassified, a look into how Wildcats thrive and survive at Northwestern.

JEREMY FREDRICKS: That was McCormick freshman Ian Lundeen, one of the many students with strong opinions on which late-night campus cafe is better. There are two: Fran’s Cafe, on South Campus, and Lisa’s Cafe on North. Fran’s has some big fans.

JEREMY FREDRICKS: Weinberg sophomore Eli Carroll is among them — saying that the vibes he gets from Fran’s are incomparable to Lisa’s.

ELI CARROLL: Cozy, I think, is a way to describe it — I like just like that. It’s just a cozy feeling in here, even when it’s bustling.

JEREMY FREDRICKS: The greasy food at Fran’s — hamburgers, quesadillas, fries and milkshakes — keep McCormick senior Haley Chang coming back. She usually uses her dining dollars and meal swipes to purchase quesadillas instead of paying for Uber Eats or DoorDash.

HALEY CHANG: But the proximity has a huge draw. But also you have all of the greasiest food that you’d want at a late night at a very low price.

JEREMY FREDRICKS: McCormick sophomore Favour Onukogu said that when it’s a late night and you’re hungry, Fran’s is the best option.

FAVOUR ONUKOGU: Most of the time, it’s quick. You know, if you’re hungry, you don’t want to stay hungry for long.

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JEREMY FREDRICKS: But dining dollars and meal swipes can be used at Lisa’s, too. And it’s got some perks some students say Fran’s doesn’t have.

EMILY FENG: The hot food bar is normally open later than Fran’s.

JEREMY FREDRICKS: Bienen and Weinberg freshman Emily Feng goes to Lisa’s for more than just hot food on a cool night. She’s gotten Pop-Tarts, sushi, coffee and —

EMILY FENG: Ramen’s, like when I come here at like one.

JEREMY FREDRICKS: Unlike Fran’s, Lisa’s has a convenience store. When Lundeen was at Lisa’s, he made sure to take advantage of the North Campus commodity.

IAN LUNDEEN: I just got like a granola bar — a pre-studying snack.

JEREMY FREDRICKS: On each side of the debate, diners said that the atmosphere matters. Both spots are located inside residential colleges: Lisa’s is situated in Slivka Residential College, while Fran’s is grounded on the bottom floor of Willard Residential College.

HALEY CHANG: The diner feel of Fran’s appeals more to me than a more upscale feel of Lisa’s.

JEREMY FREDRICKS: The “feel” is a big draw for Chang — especially during the winter months. But nearly everyone said that what’s being served or the vibe doesn’t matter as much as location.

LAUREN BLACK: It is right next to my dorm. I’m not actually crazy about the food here, but I’m sick of dining hall food.

JEREMY FREDRICKS: SESP senior Lauren Black can often be seen at Lisa’s as a North Campus resident. Black said the convenience of grabbing a meal that doesn’t require a lot of walking is the biggest factor in favoring Lisa’s. Meanwhile, Carroll lives on South Campus and feels the same way about Fran’s.

ELI CARROLL: We literally live right next to it, so it’s just convenient for me.

JEREMY FREDRICKS: Students critique both cafes for closing early and the expensive prices.