CaramelCrisp bags in hand luggage still count as carry-on
Garrett Popcorn Shops at Midway sits airside in the Main Terminal, an easy grab if your gate is anywhere along the central concourse. This is the same Chicago brand people line up for downtown, just with a shorter queue and TSA already behind you. Portions run big for airport food gifts, so a small bag usually works as a snack for two. Figure on a quick in-and-out stop unless a large group hits the counter ahead of you.
Prices land in typical airport territory: expect around $7–$9 for a small bag and over $10 if you go up in size or add a fancy tin. The famous Garrett Mix (cheese + caramel) is the default move and holds up fine on a two- to three-hour flight. Cheese-only is riskier if you’re in tight quarters, because the smell is strong in a 737 cabin. If you’re grabbing a tin, remember it eats real space in a roller bag.
Everything is made in batches, so sometimes you’ll wait 5–10 minutes while they finish a fresh run. Warm CaramelCrisp at the counter is worth that pause; old stock cools fast and gets less crisp after a few hours in a stuffy terminal. Ask which batch just came out—staff usually tells you straight. If you have under 20 minutes to boarding, stick to whatever flavor is already bagged and ready.
One last tip: if you’re connecting again later in the day, double-bag the cheese flavors and stash them in your personal item, not the overhead bin, so the scent doesn’t follow you to the next flight.