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Chicago food trucks will serve taxi drivers at Midway and O’Hare airports

July 5, 2017

Food trucks will begin serving taxis at Chicago's Midway and O'Hare airports later this year, city officials said last week, according to The Chicago Tribune.

The city decided to allow food trucks to serve at airports after speaking with taxi drivers who make frequent trips there, according to Lilia Chacon, spokeswoman for Chicago's department of business affairs and consumer protection. In April, city council passed a law proposed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel to allow food trucks to operate at the airports.

A pilot program began in June at O'Hare to determine what foods would be most successful with taxi drivers.

The food truck staging area is the commercial vehicle holding area at 5600 Bessie Coleman Drive, which is across from the rental car lots and far away from the terminals.

The aviation department could relocate the trucks to another area at O'Hare later to make the trucks accessible to everyday travelers, according to Lauren Huffman, department spokesperson.

Food trucks operating at the airports will not have to relocate after two hours, as required by city law.

Under an aviation department proposal, food trucks will pay $200 a year to operate at the airports. Trucks that prepare food will need to have a license costing $1,000 for two years.