FAQ

We welcome children on our Chicago Foodways Tours, we do not recommend a tour for most. Keep in mind that there is a lot of standing involved and children may not be as interested in historical facts. The tasting samples are designed to give participants an authentic taste of the cuisine, ranging from basic to somewhat exotic. There will be no substitutions available for children’s taste. If your child has a true interest in cuisine and history, by all means, please bring him/her along. Note that the ticket price remains the same if the child will be taking part in tastings. Infants and children in strollers are welcome at no charge.

Chicago Foodways tours offer so much more than walking and sampling! You will learn the history of the neighborhood and background of many iconic locations. Most of our stops offer seating and you’ll get the chance to mingle with restaurant owners, staff and regular customers. Portions are generous and we take our time to savor them. We want you to experience the neighborhoods as if you lived here!

You will be asked upon booking for any food allergies or sensitivities. We take your comfort and safety seriously and will make every effort to meet your needs, or to alert you if we cannot. As we strive to provide an authentic cultural experience we do not recommend our tours for those on gluten free and vegan diets.

Yes, advance ticket purchase is required. Events typically sell out quickly. To maximize your chances of getting the date, time, and number of tickets you prefer, please book well in advance.

We do not provide a waiting list. If a date and time is sold out, there is always a good chance that we will add an additional tour on that day. Please email us to let us know what date you are interested in if you do not see availability.

Gratuities are greatly appreciated, although not mandatory. The standard gratuity in the service industry is 15%-20%.

Yes, restrooms are available during the tour at most, if not all food-tasting locations. In addition, hand wipes and sanitizer are available to all guests at each tasting.

The tours are held rain, shine, or snow. We provide ponchos in case of sudden weather changes or if you do not have your own umbrella. However, we advise to check the weather conditions for your days event and dress appropriately. Keep in mind for springtime and early summer tours, that it can be up to 20 degrees cooler near Lake Michigan where our Saigon to Stockholm tour is located.

All locations are wheelchair accessible.

At this time, we do not offer tours in any other languages except English. However, we are interested in hearing if there is demand for Spanish language tours.

We absolutely do! We can accommodate a variety of special requests (family reunions, Birthday parties, out of town guests, corporate, conventions, festivals, parades, grand openings and more).

You should bring with you a camera and a small bottle of water. When it’s really hot out, we recommend an application of sunscreen on exposed parts of the body and a lightweight pair of sunglasses. During the cooler seasons it’s important to wear and an extra layer of clothing and consider bringing gloves. If it looks like rain we can provide you with a plastic rain poncho. This is a walking tour, so wear comfortable shoes that you have walked in before.

If you need to store your luggage, we recommend using Bounce. Bounce is an independent service offering insurance storage at low rates. Find them at https://usebounce.com/city/chicago.

For the Saigon to Stockholm tour, we recommend choosing the UPS Store at 5313 N. Clark Street, which will be near the endpoint of the tour.