12 Illinois Foods That Outsiders Never Order Right (But Locals Know by Heart)

Illinois has a way of humbling even the most confident food lovers. Visitors show up eager to eat like locals, but the state’s culinary traditions can be tricky to navigate without some insider knowledge.

In Chicago alone, there are strict rules about hot dogs, Italian beef, and deep-dish pizza that outsiders often get wrong. Beyond the city, neighborhood diners and small-town joints have their own quirks that trip people up just as easily.

Skip a topping, use the wrong word, or order out of habit, and you’ll quickly mark yourself as an outsider in Illinois’ food scene.

1. Chicago-Style Hot Dog

Never ask for ketchup unless you want dirty looks from every Chicagoan within earshot. The magic phrase locals use is “dragged through the garden” when they want the full works.

Your dog should come loaded with yellow mustard, chopped onions, bright green relish, tomato wedges, a pickle spear, sport peppers, and celery salt on a poppy seed bun.

Ketchup is considered a cardinal sin that masks the perfect balance of flavors these toppings create together.

2. Italian Beef

Ordering Italian beef requires making crucial decisions that separate tourists from locals. First, pick your moisture level: dry means just the meat, wet gets a ladle of jus, and dipped means the whole sandwich takes a bath.

Next comes the pepper choice between sweet bell peppers or spicy giardiniera. Many locals go for both because life’s too short for bland sandwiches.

The bread should be crusty enough to handle all that juice without falling apart in your hands.

3. Beef-And-Sausage Combo

Tourists often try to customize their order by asking for “beef with sausage on the side” or some other complicated arrangement. Locals know the secret word that makes everything simple.

Just say “combo” and watch the magic happen as they layer Italian sausage right under your beef. This isn’t about mixing random meats together.

The combination creates a perfect harmony where the sausage juices blend with the beef jus for maximum flavor impact.

4. Maxwell Street Polish

This grilled Polish sausage comes with a specific set of toppings that locals never mess with. Yellow mustard, grilled onions, and sport peppers are the holy trinity here.

Asking for ketchup will earn you the same eye rolls as putting it on a Chicago dog. The onions should be caramelized and slightly charred from the grill.

The sport peppers add just enough heat to balance the rich sausage without overwhelming your taste buds completely.

5. Tavern-Style Thin Crust Pizza

Forget everything you know about pizza cutting because Chicago tavern style comes in squares, not triangles. The crust should be cracker-thin and crispy enough to support the toppings.

Sausage is the traditional topping choice, and it’s usually crumbled Italian sausage rather than sliced rounds. The cheese goes all the way to the edges.

Each square piece should have that perfect balance of crunch and chew that makes this style completely different from deep dish.

6. Deep-Dish Or Stuffed Pizza

Patience is required when ordering Chicago’s famous thick pizza because good things take time. Most places need 30 to 45 minutes to properly bake these massive creations.

Don’t expect quick service like you would with regular pizza. The crust needs time to cook through while supporting all those layers of cheese and toppings.

Smart locals call ahead or accept the wait because rushing this process results in soggy, undercooked disappointment instead of crispy perfection.

7. Original Rainbow Cone

This isn’t a build-your-own ice cream situation where you pick random flavors. The Original Rainbow Cone has a specific five-flavor combination that’s been perfected since 1926.

The layers go chocolate on bottom, then strawberry, Palmer House, pistachio, and orange sherbet on top. Each flavor has its place in the rainbow.

Trying to substitute flavors misses the entire point of this Beverly neighborhood institution that tourists often discover by accident.

8. Pączki

These Polish pastries become everywhere during Fat Tuesday, but mispronouncing the name marks you as an outsider immediately. Say “POANCH-kee” not “paz-kee” if you want respect.

Pączki are much richer and denser than regular donuts, filled with jam, custard, or other sweet fillings. The dough contains eggs and butter for extra richness.

Many Chicago bakeries make them year-round, but the lines on Fat Tuesday prove how seriously locals take this tradition.

9. Giardiniera

Chicago’s version of giardiniera is completely different from what you’ll find in other cities. Here, it means spicy pickled vegetables packed in oil, not mild pickled veggies.

When locals say “giardiniera,” they expect heat. If you want the mild version with sweet peppers, specifically ask for “sweet” giardiniera instead.

This condiment appears on everything from Italian beef to pizza, adding a spicy, tangy kick that defines Chicago flavor profiles.

10. Mild Sauce

This sweet and tangy orange sauce is Chicago’s best-kept secret that covers fried chicken and rib tips throughout the city. Locals often ask for “extra mild” when they want their food swimming in it.

The sauce has a unique flavor that’s not quite barbecue and not quite hot sauce. It’s somewhere in between with a distinctive sweetness.

Ordering fried chicken without asking about mild sauce marks you as someone who doesn’t understand Chicago’s soul food scene.

11. Rib Tips And Links

The correct way to order this Chicago barbecue staple is by saying “tips and links” like it’s one word. This gets you rib tips and hot links served together.

Everything comes on a bed of bread and fries that soak up all the sauce underneath. The bread isn’t just a side; it’s part of the experience.

The whole plate gets covered in mild sauce or barbecue sauce, creating a messy, delicious combination that requires multiple napkins to handle properly.

12. Mother-In-Law

This bizarre Chicago creation confuses everyone who hasn’t grown up here. A tamale gets placed inside a hot dog bun and covered with chili sauce.

Don’t try to describe what you want; just ask for a “Mother-in-Law” by name. The combination sounds weird but works perfectly together somehow.

This unique item appears on menus throughout Chicago’s South Side, representing the city’s ability to create something delicious from unexpected combinations of ingredients.