Burgers
Char-grilled hamburgers in seven house styles plus four sizes
Cookout Menu and Prices for 2026
The complete, regularly updated guide to the Cookout menu — covering all 90 standalone items, every milkshake flavor, every burger style, and the full Cookout Tray combo with prices and calories.
90 Menu items
39 Milkshake flavors
$6.39 Tray starts at
$0.99 Cheapest item
Cook Out is one of the best-value fast food chains operating in the United States. Founded in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1989, the chain has grown to over 290 locations across 11 Southeastern states — and is now expanding into Tampa Bay, Florida. The signature Cookout Tray packs a main entrée, two sides, and a large drink starting at just $6.39. With more than 20 entrée options, 15+ side choices, and 39 milkshake flavors, no two visits have to be the same.
This guide is the most comprehensive independent reference for the Cookout menu. Every category — burgers, hot dogs, quesadillas, wraps, sandwiches, BBQ, chicken, milkshakes, sides, drinks, and desserts — has its own deep-dive page with verified prices, calorie counts, and ordering tips. Prices listed below are baseline figures. Cookout pricing can vary slightly by region, so always confirm at your local store.
Explore the Cookout Menu by Category
Tap any category below for a full breakdown with prices, calories, and the most popular items. Pages roll out as we publish each one.
Hot Dogs
Char-grilled hot dogs with eight different topping styles
Milkshakes
35+ hand-spun milkshake flavors plus seasonal options
Cookout Tray
Customizable combo trays with entrée, two sides, and a drink
Sides
Fries, hushpuppies, onion rings, cheese bites, and more
Drinks
Sodas, fresh-brewed tea, Cheerwine, and bottled water
Floats and Cheesecakes
Cheerwine floats, cheesecakes, and ice cream classics
Quesadillas
Chicken, beef, cheese, and cheeseburger quesadillas
Wraps
Chicken wraps in five styles, including Cajun and ranch
Sandwiches
BBQ, BLT, fish, chicken, and chicken strip sandwiches
BBQ
Char-grilled chopped pork BBQ plates and sandwiches
Chicken
Chicken strips, chicken breast filet, and chicken breast in six styles
Sauces
Paid sauce add-ons for burgers, fries, and chicken
Toppings
Paid burger toppings and condiments
Most Popular Cookout Menu Items
The items regulars order most often. Prices and calories shown are baseline figures and may vary slightly by location.
Small Burger
1/8 lb char-grilled burger patty on a soft bun. The most affordable burger on the menu.
Regular Burger
1/4 lb char-grilled burger patty. Customizable with any house style or toppings.
Big Double Burger
Two 1/4 lb char-grilled patties stacked. The most popular tray entrée option.
Cookout Style Hot Dog
Hot dog with chili, slaw, mustard, and onion — the signature dog.
Regular Fries
Classic seasoned fries.
Cajun Fries
Fries dusted with Cajun seasoning.
Cheese Fries
Fries topped with melted cheese.
Hushpuppies
Southern-style fried cornbread balls. A cult favorite.
The Cookout Tray — The Best Value in Fast Food
The Cookout Tray is the chain's signature combo and the single best reason to choose Cookout over any other fast food chain in 2026. For $7.39 (Regular) or $6.39 (Junior), you pick one entrée from a list of more than ten options, any two sides from a list of ten, and a large drink. A comparable meal at most national chains runs $11–$15.
What's Included
- 1 entrée — Big Double Burger, Regular Burger, Reg. Barbecue, Reg. Chicken, Cajun Chicken, Spicy Chicken, BBQ Char-Grilled Chicken, 2 Hot Dogs, 2 Quesadillas, or 3 Chicken Strips (Regular tray); Small Burger, BLT, 2 Chicken Strips, 2 Corn Dogs, 1 Hot Dog, or 1 Quesadilla (Junior tray).
- 2 sides — Choose any two from fries, hushpuppies, onion rings, corn dog, quesadilla, slaw or chili, chicken nuggets, white cheddar cheese bites, bacon wrap, or chicken wrap. Doubling up on the same side is allowed.
- 1 large drink — Large soda or tea, Huge Tea, Dasani 20 oz water, Cheerwine/Coke Float, or upgrade to a milkshake.
Tray Upgrade Options
- Regular Milkshake upgrade: add $1.00 to swap your drink
- Fancy Milkshake upgrade: add $1.60 to swap your drink
- Double up on a side: no extra charge — get two of the same side
Pro tip: The Big Double Burger Tray with double hushpuppies and a Banana Pudding milkshake upgrade is the most-ordered combination among regulars. Total cost: about $8.39 for roughly 1,400 calories.
39 Cookout Milkshake Flavors
Milkshakes are the second-most-loved part of the Cookout menu. The chain spins 39 flavors — 35 standard year-round options plus seasonal additions like Fresh Watermelon (July–August) and Fresh Eggnog (December). Every shake is hand-spun thick with premium ice cream.
Standard milkshakes are $3.99. The chain doesn't have an official "fancy milkshake" tier on the standalone menu, but on a tray you can upgrade your drink to a regular shake for $1.00 or a fancy shake for $1.60.
The Six Most-Ordered Flavors
- Banana Pudding — the cult favorite, especially in NC
- Peanut Butter Fudge — thick and rich
- Oreo — universally popular
- Cheesecake — tastes like dessert
- Reese's Cup — for chocolate-peanut-butter fans
- Heath Toffee — underrated by tourists, loved by regulars
Seasonal Milkshakes
- Fresh Watermelon — Available July through August only
- Fresh Eggnog — Available December only
Insider order: ask the kitchen to blend two flavors together at no extra charge. Banana Pudding + Peanut Butter is the most-requested custom blend across the chain.
Cookout Burger Styles — Seven Ways to Build a Burger
Cookout offers four base burger sizes — Small ($2.99), Regular ($3.49), Big Double ($3.99), and Huge ($3.49) — and seven house "styles" you can apply to any size. Styles change the toppings; size determines the patty count.
Cookout Style ★
From $3.99
Chili, slaw, mustard, and onion — the signature build
Simple Style
From $3.99
Mustard, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle
Cheddar Style
From $3.99
Cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato
House Style
From $3.99
Mustard, ketchup, and onion only — the lightest build
Steak Style
From $3.99
A1 sauce, mayo, and grilled onion
Out West Style
From $3.99
BBQ sauce, bacon, and cheddar cheese
Nacho Chili Style
From $4.48
Chili and nacho cheese
Free toppings included on any burger: mayo, mustard, ketchup, pickles, onion, lettuce, grilled onion, cajun seasoning. Cheese, bacon, chili, slaw, and a few extras are paid add-ons starting at $0.10.
Cookout Hours — Open Late, Every Night
Cookout is one of the few fast food chains consistently open past 3:00 AM, which is a major reason it has become the go-to late-night option across the Southeast. Hours below are typical chain-wide; individual locations may vary, especially on holidays.
| Day | Open | Close |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 10:30 AM | 3:00–3:30 AM |
| Tuesday | 10:30 AM | 3:00–3:30 AM |
| Wednesday | 10:30 AM | 3:00–3:30 AM |
| Thursday | 10:30 AM | 3:00–3:30 AM |
| Friday | 10:30 AM | 4:00–4:30 AM |
| Saturday | 10:30 AM | 4:00–4:30 AM |
| Sunday | 10:30 AM | 3:00–3:30 AM |
Drive-thru hours typically run later than dine-in. On holidays, dining rooms may close earlier. Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day are usually closed chain-wide. Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve commonly close earlier than usual.
About Cook Out — A Southern Original
Cook Out was founded in 1989 in Greensboro, North Carolina by Morris Reaves. The chain stayed regional for decades, slowly expanding through the Carolinas before reaching Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, West Virginia, and Maryland. In 2026, Cookout is expanding into Florida, with three Tampa Bay locations taking over former Boston Market buildings — the chain's first move outside the Southeast core.
The "Fresh, Never Frozen" motto is more than marketing. Burger patties are ground and pressed in-house every day at every location. Char-grilled hot dogs and chicken breasts are cooked over open flame, not on flat-tops. Milkshakes are spun individually with premium ice cream — no soft-serve mix shortcut. This commitment to from-scratch preparation is the structural reason Cookout consistently wins value-meal taste tests against the national chains.
What Sets Cookout Apart
- Late-night hours nobody else matches. Open until 3:00 AM minimum, every weekday.
- Best dollar-per-bite combo in fast food. The Cookout Tray is genuinely unbeatable.
- 39 milkshake flavors. No competitor comes close.
- Customization at no upcharge. Free condiments, free side doubling, off-menu requests honored.
- Prices that haven't lost touch with reality. Tray combos remain under $8 in 2026.
Cookout Menu — Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Cookout Tray cost in 2026?
The Regular Cookout Tray costs $7.39 and the Junior Tray is $6.39. Each tray includes one entrée, two sides (or double up on one), and a large drink. You can upgrade the drink to a Regular Milkshake for $1.00 or a Fancy Milkshake for $1.60.
How many milkshake flavors does Cookout have?
Cookout offers 39 milkshake flavors, including 35 standard year-round options and 2 seasonal flavors (Fresh Watermelon in July-August and Fresh Eggnog in December). Regular milkshakes are $3.99. You can also request custom blends — many regulars combine two flavors at no extra charge.
What time does Cookout close?
Most Cookout locations open at 10:30 AM. Sunday through Thursday, dining rooms typically close around 3:00–3:30 AM. On Fridays and Saturdays, hours extend to 4:00–4:30 AM. Drive-thru hours often run later than dine-in. Holiday and individual store hours vary, so confirm with your local Cookout before late-night visits.
Does Cookout have a secret menu?
Cookout has no official secret menu, but regulars across the Southeast have been ordering off-menu combinations for years. Popular off-menu items include the Firecracker Hot Dog, Quesadilla Burger, Bacon and Grilled Onion Fries, and milkshake blends like Banana Pudding + Peanut Butter. Most kitchens accommodate reasonable custom requests.
Is Cookout meat fresh or frozen?
"Fresh, Never Frozen" is the chain's core motto. Burgers are made from fresh-ground beef each day at every location, and patties are formed in-house rather than shipped frozen from a central kitchen. Char-grilled hot dogs and chicken breasts use the same fresh-prep approach.
Does Cookout have gluten-free options?
Cookout does not have a certified gluten-free menu, but several items can be ordered without gluten-containing components: char-grilled chicken breast (no bun), bunless hamburger patties, hot dogs without the bun, French fries, Cheerwine, fresh-brewed tea, and several cheesecake-free milkshakes. If you have celiac disease, ask staff about cross-contamination at the grill.
What states have Cookout?
Cookout operates 290+ locations across 11 Southeastern states: North Carolina (most locations), South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Maryland, and (newly) Florida (Tampa Bay launching in 2026). The chain has not expanded outside the Southeast.
Can you customize a Cookout Tray?
Yes — every Cookout Tray is customizable. You pick from 7+ burger styles plus chicken, BBQ, hot dog, and quesadilla entrées. Then any 2 sides from the side menu (or double up on one). Drink is included, with milkshake upgrade options. You can also add free condiments at no extra cost: mayo, mustard, ketchup, pickles, onion, lettuce, grilled onion, cajun seasoning.
Explore Every Cookout Menu Category
Each category has its own dedicated page with full price and calorie data, ordering tips, and the most popular items. Pages publish on a rolling basis as we research and verify every detail. Bookmark this homepage and check back regularly for new pages and updated pricing.