Last updated: January 3, 2026
Welcome to Hey Chicago. By using this website, you’re trusting us to provide accurate, honest, and useful information about Chicago. We take that responsibility seriously.
Hey Chicago is built by a team of Chicago locals who live, work, and explore the city every day.
We are not a content farm, not a one-person blog, and not driven by hype. Our mission is to publish thoughtful, trustworthy, and genuinely helpful content grounded in real experience and community insight.
This page outlines the editorial standards and values that guide everything we publish.
Our Editorial Mission
Our guiding principle is simple:
Create content we would personally read, trust, and share.
Every article on Hey Chicago is created to help readers make better decisions—whether they live here, are visiting for the first time, or want to explore the city more deeply.
Core Editorial Value
Every piece of content published on Hey Chicago is guided by the following principles:
- 100% original content
- Human-led writing and editing
- Fact-checked and regularly updated information
- Real opinions based on lived experience
- Community-informed insights
- Transparency and honesty at every stage
Original & High-Quality Content
All content on Hey Chicago is original. We do not copy, scrape, or spin content from other websites.
Articles are written by members of our editorial team and informed by:
- First-hand local experience
- Chicago-based contributors
- Input from our audience and community
We do not publish content simply to chase traffic. If a topic isn’t useful, relevant, or interesting to people who care about Chicago, we don’t cover it.
Community-Driven Insight
Hey Chicago is powered by one of the largest Chicago-focused social communities online, with 70,000+ followers and a reach of 20+ million people per month.
We regularly:
- Ask our audience questions
- Collect and analyze responses
- Identify trends and shared opinions
- Cross-check claims and recommendations
Community feedback is combined with editorial judgment and local expertise to ensure our content reflects real Chicago perspectives, not marketing narratives.
Accuracy & Regular Updates
Chicago is constantly changing. Restaurants close, neighborhoods evolve, and recommendations shift.
We routinely review and update our content to:
- Correct outdated information
- Remove no-longer-relevant recommendations
- Add new insights, discoveries, and updates
Accuracy and usefulness always take priority over publishing frequency.
Use of AI & Editorial Oversight
Our writers may use AI-powered tools to assist with efficiency during the content creation process, such as:
- Research support
- Organizing information
- Draft outlines or summaries
However:
- Every article is written, edited, and finalized by a human
- All facts are reviewed and verified by our editorial team
- All opinions, recommendations, and conclusions are human-led
AI tools do not replace local knowledge, lived experience, or editorial judgment. They are used strictly as support tools, and all published content must meet the same editorial standards regardless of how it was drafted.
Honest Opinions & Editorial Independence
We believe honest opinions are more valuable than universally positive ones.
If something is overrated, disappointing, or only suitable for certain people, we’ll say so. If something is popular and genuinely worthwhile, we won’t avoid recommending it.
Editorial decisions are never influenced by advertisers, sponsors, or affiliate partners.
Transparency, Affiliates & Sponsored Content
Hey Chicago may earn revenue through affiliate links or sponsored partnerships. We are committed to full transparency:
- Affiliate links are disclosed
- Sponsored content is clearly labeled
- Opinions remain honest and independent
We only partner with brands, services, or platforms that align with our audience’s needs and our editorial standards. We regularly turn down partnerships that don’t meet these criteria.
Responsible Coverage
We aim to highlight:
- Local businesses and creators
- Independent and community-first experiences
- Thoughtful, responsible ways to explore the city
When appropriate, we also share practical etiquette and responsible travel tips—without being preachy. Readers are free to decide how they use that information.
What We Are Firmly Against
We do not:
- Publish misleading or deceptive content
- Use clickbait headlines
- Accept undisclosed paid coverage
- Promote businesses or experiences we don’t trust
- Sacrifice credibility for revenue
Editorial Policy in a Nutshell
- Original, accurate, and useful content
- Human-led writing and editing
- Community-informed insights
- Full transparency
- Ethical, aligned partnerships
- Regular updates for relevance
Feedback & Corrections
We welcome reader feedback. If you spot an error, disagree with a recommendation, or have a suggestion, please contact us through our website. Corrections and updates are taken seriously and handled promptly.
— The Hey Chicago Editorial Team