With 23 Michelin-rated restaurants, it's no surprise that Chicago recently ranked high on a Wallethub's list of Best 'Foodie' Cities in the U.S. However, one event dubbed the "Chicago Foodie Lovers Tour" -- at $532.50 per ticket -- has created some food-centered controversy.
The four-hour walking tour, listed as a "private and all-inclusive" event on FeverUp, a website that sells tickets to various entertainment experiences and tours in cities across the world, is described as one that takes customers "to the most iconic and delicious spots in Chicago all in one day. If you are looking for a little bit of culture, great photos, and a ton of delicious food," the event listing reads, "then this is the tour for you."
According to the tour description, the event includes five food items — a Portillo's hot dog, a small Garrett's popcorn, a six-inch Al's Italian beef sandwich, a slice of deep dish pizza and a Do-Rite Donut — along with bottle of water, and an Uber ride.
The event listing also includes "entry" to the Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower, both of which are free for the public to visit.
One of the last stops on the tour, the listing says, is a visit to Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park. However, according to the Chicago Park District, the Clarence F. Buckingham Fountain is closed for the season.
In a Chicago Reddit thread titled "A $500 Chicago 'Foodie Tour.' Am I missing something?", more than 300 commenters have questioned the pricing, timing and food offered on the tour, with some raising concerns about the event's legitimacy.
"I did all those things as a tourist on a budget in June, and didn’t spend anywhere near $500," one comment reads.
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"This city has much better food than Portillo’s, Al’s and I’m assuming Lou’s or Gino’s," another says. "Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy all of those places from time to time but they aren’t what I’d call the cutting edge of our food scene."
In an email to NBC 5, FeverUp indicated the event's provider, Viator -- a tour and experience marketplace for independent operators -- is responsible for providing the event information listed, including the ticket price. "FeverUp does not determine pricing," a spokesperson for FeverUp wrote.
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In a request for comment, a Viator spokesperson wrote, "Viator works directly with our suppliers and operators to determine the best retail price for their world-class experiences. Our team has determined there is likely an issue with the pricing for this tour on FeverUp’s site."
The spokesperson went on to say that the tour has been deactivated on FeverUp's site, while FeverUp and Viator "actively work to address the discrepancy."
A listing for the tour is however active on Viator, at the price of $319 per ticket, the spokesperson said. According to the spokesperson, $319 is the correct price of the tour.
When asked by NBC 5 how pricing for tours is determined, Viator in an email said "We receive a recommended retail rate from our suppliers and we typically adhere to the retail range."
According to the Portillo's website, a regular hot dog begins at $3.99. An individual cheese pizza from pizzeria Uno starts at $10.99, and a six-inch Al's Italian beef sandwich begins at $9.71, according to both restaurants' online ordering system.
A small bag of Garret's Mix, according to Garret's Popcorn's online store, begins at $4.99, and the price of a Do-Rite Donut starts at $3.25.
This story has been updated to include Viator's most recent response to request for comment.
