Photo: McCormick Place / Google MapsIFT FIRST 2027 Hotels near McCormick Place
IFT FIRST 2027 runs 11 to 14 July at McCormick Place, Chicago. 15,500+ participants from 80+ countries
- Free-cancellation rooms
- Lock today's hotel rate
- Company invoice
- Book rooms for your team
Where to stay for IFT FIRST 2027: the closest hotels to McCormick Place are in South Loop (McCormick Place) and The Loop, with River North and Magnificent Mile a short ride away. Rooms near the venue sell out first, so book a free-cancellation rate early. Add your company name and tax number at checkout for an itemised company invoice.
IFT FIRST, the annual event and expo of the Institute of Food Technologists, returns to McCormick Place in Chicago from Sunday 11 to Wednesday 14 July 2027. IFT calls it the leading food science and innovation event, and says it draws more than 15,500 participants from over 80 countries, with more than 1,000 exhibitors across ingredients, processing, packaging, food safety and research. Since 2026 all the scientific programming has taken place on the expo floor, so sessions, posters, startup pitches and exhibitor stands share one space, and there is no expo only pass. For IFT FIRST hotels, the South Loop around McCormick Place keeps you closest to the halls, including the hotels on the McCormick Place campus, while the Loop, River North, the Magnificent Mile and Streeterville give more choice a short train or bus ride away. This page shows live hotel rates near McCormick Place for your dates. A hotel booking does not include IFT FIRST registration: register with IFT.
Popular areas for attendees: South Loop (McCormick Place) · The Loop · River North and Magnificent Mile · Streeterville.
- IFT FIRST hotels sorted by distance to McCormick Place, from the South Loop and the campus hotels to the Loop, River North and Streeterville
- Live rates for 11 to 14 July 2027, with check-in and check-out dates you can change for exhibitor set-up, early meetings or a weekend in Chicago
- Free cancellation rates shown where the hotel offers them, useful while the 2027 programme and your meeting plans firm up
- An itemised company invoice emailed at booking, plus a team or exhibitor group quote within 24 hours via our enquiry form
Event at a glance
- Dates
- 11 July to 14 July 2027
- Venue
- McCormick Place
- City
- Chicago, USA
- Airport
- ORD
- Attendance
- 15,500+ participants from 80+ countries
Live rates near the venue
Hotels near McCormick Place for IFT FIRST 2027
Free cancellation first
Flexible rooms prioritised so plans can change without penalty.
Company invoice
Itemised invoice billed to your company, emailed the moment you book.
Stay close to the venue
Hotels ranked by walking distance to the halls.
Lock today's rate
Reserve at the current price and book several rooms for the team.
Plan your stay
Rates shown for a 3 night stay, Sat, Jul 10 → Tue, Jul 13, arriving the day before the fair opens, or choose your own dates above.
Hotel rates near major event venues rise as the dates approach and the closest hotels sell out first. Booking a free-cancellation rate early locks the price with no downside.
On the map
The venue, your hotel options and where to eat, all in one view. Tap the map to explore it full screen.
Booking hotels for a team or company?
Book several rooms near McCormick Place, keep every stay on a free-cancellation rate, and add your company name and tax number at checkout to receive an itemised invoice for your accounts, emailed the moment you book.
- Itemised company invoice, emailed instantly
- Bills to your company name and ABN / VAT / tax number
- Free-cancellation rates prioritised for changing plans
- Book multiple rooms for the team in one place
Send this page to colleagues so everyone books their own room near the venue, all at today's rate.
Exhibiting or sending a team? Tell us how many rooms you need and we will send a personalised quote within 24 hours, with the distance from every hotel to McCormick Place. If the closest hotels are nearly full, we split your team across neighbouring hotels a few minutes apart. Corporate accommodation for IFT FIRST
Free IFT FIRST Insider Guide
Do IFT FIRST the easy way. Get our curated guide, plus first access to near-venue rooms before they sell out.
- The best hotels within walking distance of the venue
- Where to host clients for dinner near the halls
- How to beat the sold-out fair-week rooms
We'll email your guide and occasional IFT FIRST hotel deals. Unsubscribe anytime.
Need to expense this trip? Business invoices available at checkout.
Where should you eat during IFT FIRST?
McCormick Place sits in the South Loop, an easy ride to both the South Loop's own tables and the West Loop restaurant scene. Chicago is a genuine food city (Smyth holds three Michelin stars and Alinea two), so book the marquee names well ahead when a big show is in town.
Photo: Girl & The Goat / Google Maps
Photo: Luke Ernst / Google Maps
Photo: Girl & The Goat / Google MapsGirl & the Goat
New American / Small plates
West Loop (Randolph St), ~15 min drive from McCormick Place
Stephanie Izard's flagship on West Loop's restaurant row, serving inventive, shareable plates in a buzzy room. One of the toughest and most rewarding reservations in the city.
Tip: Book weeks out; walk-in bar seats are the backup plan.
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Photo: Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse / Google Maps
Photo: Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse / Google Maps
Photo: Oliver Drefs / Google MapsGibsons Bar & Steakhouse
Steakhouse
Gold Coast (Rush St), ~15 min drive from McCormick Place
The quintessential Chicago steakhouse: big steaks, martinis and a see-and-be-seen energy that suits entertaining clients. A local institution on Rush Street.
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Photo: Mercat a la Planxa / Google Maps
Photo: 羅福松 / Google Maps
Photo: Mercat a la Planxa / Google MapsMercat a la Planxa
Spanish / Catalan tapas
South Loop (Michigan Ave), ~7 min drive from McCormick Place
A lively Catalan tapas room overlooking Grant Park, one of the closer upscale options to McCormick Place. Good for a shared, unhurried group dinner.
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Photo: Ashish Deshmukh / Google Maps
Photo: Jason Noha / Google Maps
Photo: Taylor / Google MapsLou Malnati's Pizzeria
Deep-dish pizza
South Loop (State St), ~8 min drive from McCormick Place
The classic Chicago deep-dish, from one of the city's most storied pizzeria families. The South Loop location is an easy, casual team meal near the convention center.
Tip: Deep-dish takes ~40 min to bake, order as soon as you sit down.
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Photo: Intelligentsia Coffee Millennium Park Coffeebar / Google Maps
Photo: Intelligentsia Coffee Millennium Park Coffeebar / Google Maps
Photo: Kelly Alaksin / Google MapsIntelligentsia Coffee (Millennium Park)
Coffee / Cafe
The Loop (Millennium Park), ~12 min drive from McCormick Place
The Chicago-born roaster widely credited with helping start the third-wave coffee movement in 1995. The Millennium Park coffeebar is an ideal caffeine stop when you're up in the Loop.
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Photo: Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen / Google Maps
Photo: DW 环球趣旅行 (环球旅行136国) / Google Maps
Photo: Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen / Google MapsManny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen
Jewish deli
South Loop, ~6 min drive from McCormick Place
A cash-quick, cafeteria-style Chicago deli institution famous for its corned beef and matzo ball soup. About as fast and local a lunch as you'll find near the convention center.
Tip: Lunch-focused; it winds down by mid-afternoon.
Open in Google MapsAfter the halls close: Chicago
Client dinner, team night out or a free day after IFT FIRST: bookable experiences in Chicago, same account, same checkout.
While you're in Chicago
Chicago is a great sports and festival town, and several of its venues are an easy trip from McCormick Place.
Chicago Cubs (MLB)
Day baseball at historic Wrigley Field is a bucket-list experience even if you're not a fan.
Find ticketsChicago White Sox (MLB)
South Side baseball at Rate Field, one of the closer ballparks to McCormick Place.
Find ticketsChicago Bears (NFL)
NFL games at lakefront Soldier Field, just north of the convention center.
Find ticketsChicago Bulls (NBA)
NBA basketball at the United Center on the Near West Side.
Find ticketsLollapalooza
A four-day, multi-stage music festival in Grant Park drawing top global headliners.
Find ticketsFixtures recur each season; exact dates for your fair week are confirmed at ticket search.
How do you get to IFT FIRST?
From O'Hare International (ORD)
- O'Hare is Chicago's main airport, with the widest choice of domestic and international flights
- McCormick Place says to take the CTA Blue Line from O'Hare and change to a southbound Green Line train at Clark and Lake, with a free transfer between the two
- The Green Line's Cermak-McCormick Place station is 2 blocks (0.15 mile) from the northwest corner of the West Building, according to the venue
- Taxis are plentiful, and McCormick Place mentions a Shared Ride Program for taxis from O'Hare and Midway to McCormick Place or downtown
From Midway (MDW) and by rail
- From Midway, the venue suggests the CTA Orange Line to Roosevelt, then one stop south on the Green Line to Cermak-McCormick Place
- The Green Line also connects with Ogilvie Transportation Center, Union Station and Amtrak via its Clinton stop, according to McCormick Place
- Metra Electric trains run between downtown Chicago and a station inside McCormick Place, useful if you arrive by regional rail
How do you get around during IFT FIRST?
Getting to McCormick Place each day
- The Metra Electric station is on Level 2.5 of the Grand Concourse in the South Building, and the venue says trains reach downtown Chicago within seven minutes, including from Millennium Station
- The #3 King Drive bus, which the venue calls the most common bus route to McCormick Place, runs along Michigan Avenue past many downtown hotels and the Magnificent Mile
- From the Green Line, the #21 Cermak bus stops below the station platform and runs to the main entrances if you prefer not to walk
- In 2026 IFT ran a free shuttle bus from stops near its official hotels, but not for the hotels on the McCormick Place campus; check the 2027 shuttle details on the IFT site
Around Chicago in July
- CTA trains and buses accept contactless card payment if you do not have a Ventra card, according to McCormick Place
- McCormick Place is a cashless campus, which IFT says includes the hotels on the campus
- For rideshare, the venue suggests Gate 40 on the west side of the West Building on S. Indiana Ave for a quicker exit at the end of the day
- IFT notes that smoking and vaping are banned in virtually all enclosed public places in Chicago, and within 15 feet of their entrances
Do you need a visa for IFT FIRST?
Visa-free / visa on arrival
- Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries, including the UK, most of the EU, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, can usually attend a conference for up to 90 days with an approved ESTA rather than a visa
- Apply for ESTA on the official US government website (esta.cbp.dhs.gov) before you book flights; an approval is normally valid for two years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first
- Canadian citizens do not normally need a visa or ESTA for a short business visit of this kind
eVisa / visa required
- Most other nationalities need a B-1/B-2 visitor visa, which involves an interview at a US embassy or consulate
- IFT advises applying for a visa at least 90 days before departure, because waits for visa appointments can be long
- IFT provides a visa invitation letter to registered international attendees, requested during registration; letters are not issued before you register
Documents to carry
- Your IFT FIRST registration confirmation and visa invitation letter, plus a letter from your employer if you are exhibiting or presenting
- Your hotel confirmation and return or onward travel details, which US border officers commonly ask to see
- A passport valid for the whole of your stay, with your ESTA approval or visa linked to it
Entry and visa rules change often; check current requirements with the US embassy in your country or official US government sources before you book travel.
First time at IFT FIRST?
- Tickets for 2027 are not on sale yet; IFT invites you to subscribe to FIRST-to-Know to hear when they go on sale
- You must be at least 18 to attend IFT FIRST, according to the organiser
- There is no expo only registration: sessions and keynotes take place on the expo floor, and a badge is required to enter the Expo Hall
- IFT's dress code is business casual, and it recommends layers and comfortable shoes
- Sales and marketing staff from companies that are not exhibiting must register as a non-participating supplier, and soliciting by non-exhibitors is not allowed
Insider tips from repeat attendees
- In 2026 registration was in the South Building (S100) with satellite registration at the Sheraton Chicago, and badges could be picked up in advance; check the 2027 locations nearer the time
- IFT names FHTglobal, in partnership with Conference Direct, as its official registration and housing partner; Event Escapes is independent, so compare its hotel offer with the live rates here
- McCormick Place Baggage Check is available during the event for a small fee, handy on your departure day if you check out before the last sessions
IFT FIRST travel FAQs
When is IFT FIRST 2027?
IFT FIRST takes place 11 July to 14 July 2027 at McCormick Place in Chicago, USA.
Where is IFT FIRST held?
IFT FIRST is held at McCormick Place in Chicago, USA. The nearest airport is ORD.
When and where is IFT FIRST 2027?
IFT FIRST 2027 runs from 11 to 14 July 2027 at McCormick Place in Chicago, according to the Institute of Food Technologists. The detailed 2027 schedule and expo hours are still to be published.
Where should I stay for IFT FIRST?
The South Loop around McCormick Place is closest, including the hotels on the McCormick Place campus. The Loop is a short Metra Electric or Green Line ride away, while River North, the Magnificent Mile and Streeterville are linked by the #3 King Drive bus.
How do I get to McCormick Place from my hotel?
Take the Metra Electric to the station inside McCormick Place, within seven minutes of downtown, or the CTA Green Line to Cermak-McCormick Place. In 2026 IFT also ran a free shuttle from stops near its official hotels.
Does a hotel booking include IFT FIRST registration?
No. Registration is separate from accommodation. Register with IFT for your pass, and book your hotel here.
Can I get a visa invitation letter for IFT FIRST?
Yes. IFT offers registered international attendees a visa invitation letter, requested during registration. IFT recommends applying for a US visa at least 90 days before you travel.
Is Event Escapes the official IFT FIRST hotel provider?
No. We are an independent hotel booking site with no affiliation with IFT. IFT's official registration and housing partner is FHTglobal with Conference Direct; you can compare its rates with the live rates on this page.
Register for your attendee badge
Your entry badge is separate from your hotel. Get it from the official IFT FIRST portal before you travel. We handle the travel; the event handles the badge.
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Which hotels are closest to McCormick Place?
The closest hotels to the venue with the distance, the walk or ride time and an indicative nightly rate, refreshed weekly. Live prices for your exact dates are in the booking section above. Last checked 1 November 2026.
Cheap and 3 star hotels near McCormick Place
| Hotel | Distance to venue | Walk or ride | From per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Congress Plaza Hotel★★★ | 2.7 km | ~10 min ride | $340 |
| La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Chicago Downtown★★★ | 3.6 km | ~13 min ride | $385 |
More hotels close to McCormick Place
| Hotel | Distance to venue | Walk or ride | From per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyatt Regency McCormick Place Chicago★★★★ | 0.2 km | ~3 min walk | $488 |
| Marriott Marquis Chicago★★★★ | 0.4 km | ~6 min walk | $742 |
| The St. Regis Chicago★★★★★ | 4.0 km | ~14 min ride | $1,412 |
| The Langham, Chicago★★★★★ | 4.2 km | ~15 min ride | $914 |
EventEscapes is an independent travel platform and is not affiliated with IFT FIRST or its organizers. Dates and venues can change. Verify with the official event site before booking travel.