We've all been there or have helped a friend through it with a bit of money.

It's 2 a.m. on a Friday night. Masses of students split ways and get in line for often either College Pizza, 128 Locust Lane, or nearby Canyon Pizza, 260 E. Beaver Ave.

And the struggle of freshmen running down Beaver Avenue with a slice of pizza in each hand, trying to catch the last White Loop back to East Halls, seems like an everyday occurrence.

Late-night pizza is a popular attraction on weekend nights in State College, and for some, it's even the main event.

"It's kind of like being at the bar without the actual bar, and there's no bouncer kicking people out," said Matt Floravit, Canyon Pizza's manager.

Canyon owner Greg Nau said late-night pizza isn't limited to craving a slice.

"It's definitely a social thing," Nau said. "We deal with more drunks than some of the bars."

And students, too, agree that late-night pizza is a weekend scene and more than just grabbing a bite.

"You see so many people you know waiting in line," Joey McGrady (freshman -- finance) said. "Everyone funnels through here, and the sidewalks of Beaver are always full of people sitting on the curb eating pizza."

Tucker Ling, a College Pizza employee of four years, said weekend nights are what bring in most of the shop's business.

"It took my bosses a long time to admit they didn't own a restaurant, but a business for drunks, basically," Ling said. "The late-night business brings in 90 percent of the profit for the business."

On a given Friday or Saturday night, Canyon goes through 400 to 500 pizza pies while College goes through about 300 pizzas, which is more than 2,000 slices a night.

"We've had $10,000 nights before, like on the Super Bowl when we've had 1,000 pizzas ordered," Ling said. "If we're running two ovens at once, a pie is coming out every 30 seconds."

Ling said that on a crowded night, hungry students don't need to wait more than seven to 15 minutes to get their food.

Levi Miller (freshmen -- mechanical engineering) said that although College Pizza is 25 cents more expensive for a plain cheese slice, he'd rather go there.

"Price doesn't really matter with that small of a difference," he said. "Pizza is pizza, but I like to have a place to sit down."

Patrick Manning (freshman-division of undergraduate studies), on the other hand, said he's more of a Canyon man himself.

"It's cheaper and more convenient," he said. "I was here for summer session and tried Canyon first and then just never stopped going there."

Despite student disputes over which place has the better slice, the two late-night spots not only get along, but help each other out.

"Even if they have a lot of people, we do, too, so it's not really a competition," Ling said. "[Canyon has] even come here to borrow boxes in the past when they've ran out."

Although you would expect late-night owners to say they see a lot of crazy things happen on the weekends, the most entertaining thing is something very simple.

"People globbing on ranch sauce is the most amusing thing," Nau said. "We go through 7 or 8 gallons of ranch sauce a night on a Friday or Saturday."

It's not quite known why ranch is so popular on pizza here at Penn State, but Manning said one thing is for sure: Don't knock it until you try it.

"I saw everyone using it, so I gave it a try," he said. "I liked it, so now I always use it."

For McGrady, ranch sauce is more of a "habit" when getting a late-night slice.

"I came up to visit Penn State my senior year in high school, and my friend made me put a ladle full of ranch on each slice I got," he said. "Now I'm just used to getting it."

Employees do admit, however, that there's never a dull moment when dealing with intoxicated customers.

"People have tried to steal whole pies right off the counter," Floravit said. "It's funny, but sometimes it gets a little nerve-racking."

Canyon isn't the only pizza joint students have attempted to steal from.

"We've had someone steal our 'Open' sign before, and his friend came the next day to return it and apologize," Ling said. "The next night, the same kid came in and stole it again, and the same friend had to come back again the next morning to return it."

Ling said the steps into College Pizza's entrance are the most challenging for students to walk down to get their slice.

"I see one to two people on average fall a night," he said. "I'm surprised how many people don't fall."

Even now, despite brutal winter chills, students need their pizza.

"It can be snowing and 10 degrees out, and people are still sitting out on those benches eating," Nau said.