Midway International Airport just picked up a distinctly Chicago flavor. On Tuesday, Mayor Brandon Johnson cut the ribbon on a new outpost of The Original Mr. Beef in the airport's newly retooled food hall, bringing a local Italian beef staple straight into the terminal. The brief ceremony, broadcast by the mayor's office, featured city officials and concession partners lined up beside the brand-new counter, adding one more Chicago name to Midway's refreshed concessions lineup.
WATCH LIVE: Mayor Brandon Johnson cuts the ribbon on The Original Mr. Beef at Midway International Airport. https://x.com/i/status/2028859964601577514
- Brandon Johnson (@chicagosmayor) March 3, 2026
Johnson Shares The Ribbon Cutting On X
In a post on X, Mayor Brandon Johnson livestreamed the ribbon-cutting and announced the opening, according to a post on X. The clip shows the ceremony in progress, along with brief remarks from city and airport officials marking the arrival of the new stand.
Part Of Midway's Concessions Overhaul
The Mr. Beef kiosk is one piece of Midway's concessions redevelopment program, a multi-year effort to modernize the airport's dining and retail offerings. According to Midway Partnership, the overhaul represents a more than $75 million investment and is set to bring in dozens of new dining and shopping brands that highlight Chicago flavors.
The Original Mr. Beef's Local Roots
The Original Mr. Beef is a long-running fixture in the Chicago-area Italian beef scene. Food writer Steve Dolinsky lists the Homer Glen location among Chicagoland's essential Italian beef joints. Planting that shop's name inside Midway effectively drops a suburban and city sandwich tradition right into the airport concourse.
What Travelers Should Know
Midway has been rolling out a Central Market and a slate of other concessions upgrades meant to cluster dining options near the concourses and give passengers more local choices, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. Materials from the Chicago Department of Aviation also say the broader concessions overhaul is intended to create jobs and improve the overall passenger experience.
As of Tuesday, the mayor's X post and the airport's concessions materials are the main public confirmations of the Midway Mr. Beef outpost. Details on hours, staffing, and specific menu offerings had not yet been posted by the concession operator or the airport at publication time. This story will be updated when airport or restaurant officials release full operating information.
