Airlines have come a long way when it comes to pre-ordering meals onboard, but we’re not quite to the point where you can order takeaway food from your plane seat and have it delivered as your aircraft taxis down the apron for takeoff at one of world’s busiest airports. But one DoorDash driver found himself on the tarmac at Chicago O’Hare Airport after taking a wrong turn.

DoorDash Driver Wanders Onto Chicago O’Hare Tarmac, Triggers Security Alert

A DoorDash delivery driver sparked a full-blown security alert at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) after accidentally driving into a restricted airfield area. Yes, someone delivering food apparently ended up closer to planes than many airline employees ever do.

The incident occurred Saturday, May 17, 2025 when a 36-year-old DoorDash driver somehow made his way onto the airport’s secure perimeter road (and possibly even crossed a runway) before being spotted by vigilant air traffic controllers. According to the NY Post, the man appeared confused and lost rather than malicious, and was delivering food to someone working at the airport.

Thankfully, no injuries occurred, no aircraft were endangered, and no criminal charges were filed. Police treated the incident as a mistake, though are conducting an extensive review of how he gained access to the secure side of the airport. The driver reportedly entered a service road and simply kept going, eventually winding up in an off-limits location.

The question, of course, is how?! O’Hare is one of the busiest airports in the world, and yet a gig economy food courier was able to drive past multiple security checkpoints or gates and end up in a restricted airfield zone. This wasn’t a guy slipping past TSA at a checkpoint: he was driving on the airfield!

Airport security breaches like this are rare, but they point to deeper vulnerabilities. If a lost DoorDash driver can access critical infrastructure by accident, what does that say about the robustness of our airside access controls? It doesn’t take a vivid imagination to see how this could have ended much worse if the person involved had ill intent.

DoorDash driver enroute to his destination accidentally drives onto the ramp area at Chicago O’Hare Airport.

Despite the strict rules at the Chicago airport pickup and drop-off areas, the delivery person entered the secured areas before a worker realized he wasn’t supposed to be… pic.twitter.com/NnGfKylJVA

— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) May 20, 2025

CONCLUSION

Most of us are used to the occasional DoorDash mix-up like cold food, missing drinks, wrong address. But nearly driving onto a runway? That’s a new one.

Let’s hope this prompts a serious review of perimeter access procedures at O’Hare and other major airports. Because the next person who takes a wrong turn may not be just looking to deliver a pizza…