Chicago is gearing up to hand out what officials are calling the biggest airport concessions package in the country, wrapping up a long bidding process for new restaurants and shops at O’Hare. Aviation leaders say the ORDerUp program drew a flood of interest, and they expect to start naming winners this spring, a move that will reshape where travelers eat, drink and shop in Terminals 1 and 3.
City Says Bids Poured In, Decisions Coming Soon
As reported by Crain’s Chicago Business, Aviation Commissioner Michael McMurray told the outlet the city received 107 proposals and expects to begin awarding contracts by the end of March 2026. Crain’s also noted that McMurray did not disclose an overall dollar value for the program, keeping the total price tag under wraps for now.
What ORDerUp Put On The Table
The ORDerUp request for proposals laid out a sweeping menu of opportunities across O’Hare’s primary domestic terminals, seeking dozens of food, beverage and retail concepts along the concourses. Chicago Department of Aviation materials describe the package as one of the largest concession bundles ever offered by a U.S. airport, with well over 100 concept slots and roughly 146,000 square feet of commercial space, including set-asides for small and disadvantaged businesses. According to the city’s concessions pages, the program is aimed at modernizing the terminal experience while meeting ACDBE participation targets.
Different Numbers, Same Huge Scale
The city’s own documents show that the numbers can shift depending on how responses are counted. In the Chicago Department of Aviation 2025 Legislative Guide, officials state, “We received more than 165 submissions for 21 bid packages spanning more than 110 restaurant and retail locations in Terminals 1 and 3,” underscoring just how large and complicated this concessions overhaul really is…