Cheddar-cheese popcorn and caramel corn mixed in the same bag: an only-in-Chicago snack invented by Garrett Popcorn, now copied across the country.

Garrett Popcorn Shops opened on Madison Street in the Loop in 1949. The famous mix (cheddar cheese and CaramelCrisp in one bag) was introduced in the 1970s and has been the takeaway-bag souvenir of choice from O'Hare and Midway ever since. The cheese is sharp Wisconsin cheddar; the caramel is hand-cooked in copper kettles with butter and sugar. The queues at the Michigan Avenue flagship outside the original Garrett shop became enough of a fixture that the tourist board started photographing them. The store name was changed from 'Chicago Mix' to 'Garrett Mix' in 2014 after a trademark settlement, but locals still call the snack the original name.

1 editor pick for Chicago mix popcorn in Chicago, ranked by editorial score. All Chicago signature dishes · Chicago mix popcorn across every city.

Garrett Popcorn Shops ★ 4.1

$Street food

Garrett Popcorn Shops in Chicago is the Loop popcorn counter on Randolph since 1949, with the Garrett Mix (cheese-and-caramel) bag in a gold tin to take home.

OrderGarrett Mix (cheese and caramel popcorn)

TipOrder the small bag mixed, eaten warm out of the bag before the cheese cools. The gallon tin is for the airport.

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