- Chicago-style deep-dish pizza: thick crust with cheese and butter
- Chicago-style hot dogs: with mustard, onions, relish, and no ketchup
- Italian beef sandwiches: thin-sliced, seasoned beef on long rolls
- Corn on the cob and farm-fresh Illinois produce
- Chicago architecture: Art Deco and modern skyscraper tours
- Blues and jazz heritage: world-class music venues and museums
- Grant Park, Millennium Park, and Cloud Gate ("The Bean") sculptures
- Chicago Cubs and White Sox baseball culture and traditions
Chicago accent and Midwestern English; direct and friendly; diverse immigrant languages in Chicago.
- Chicago pizza and hot dog styles are sacred: try them as locals do
- Tipping 18-20% is expected in restaurants and bars
- Respect for local teams (Cubs/Sox) is important in Chicago
- Midwestern politeness and friendliness are standard