It’s official — Girl Scout cookie season has arrived in the Chicago area. Booths popped up around greater Chicago and northwest Indiana this weekend and will be around until mid-March.
“I’ve already had people telling us that they’re seeing us outside of [Jewel] and local stores. It’s super exciting for the girls to get outside, connect with the customers, connect with individuals,” said Tonisha Hood, director of marketing and brand for Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana.
Every box of cookies sold by the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana is priced at $6 apiece, a dollar higher than last year. Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois, whose booths are set to open Friday, charges $5 a box. Some troops in other parts of the country, like New York, are charging up to $7 a box, according to the New York Times .
Girl Scout Jordan Banks and her mother display Girl Scout cookies on a table outside their Evanston home. Each box sells for $5 or $6.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Hood said prices are decided by each council, so price differences aren’t out of the ordinary. She pointed to inflation as the reason that her council’s boxes are a little pricier this year.
“I think people realize that the world is changing. Everything’s going up,” Hood said. “People understand that this is a fundraiser and it’s generating dollars for girls to have great experiences. They’re willing to pay the additional dollar to provide the experience for these girls.”
Selling cookies gives Girl Scouts a chance to interact with the public and raise funds for a good cause. Fans can locate sales locations on the Girl Scouts website using their ZIP code.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Most tables should have electronic pay options, though the exact type varies troop to troop. Girls can also sell cookies online through eBudde. Each girl gets her own link, which customers can then buy cookies through.
Cookie-lovers who prefer face-to-face contact can locate nearby booths by typing in their ZIP code on the Girl Scouts website . Most booths are only open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, though a few operate on weekdays.
“It’s a great opportunity for them to work together to bond together and to gain new skills and provide resources for activities that they can enjoy,” Hood said.