The Cook Out is an interesting beast because no one can seem to figure out where they’re based. I’ve heard reports that they are out of Greensboro (NC), but they don’t seem to have a web site at this writing, and it just doesn’t seem to be anything that anyone can verify.
Nonetheless, the company is doing something right. Their down-home style, the original hamburgers “cooked outdoors style”, the 36 “creamery” premium milkshakes and the retro styling of the building has kept the double drive-thru near our house hopping since they opened nearly six months ago.
My only complaint is that the milkshakes are more like a soft-serve sundae. Nothing wrong with that, mind you, it just makes it hard to drink through the straw. The flavor is stll quite good, you understand. It’s just better eaten with a spoon.
As to the food, it’s good. I’m not a huge fan of burgers, so it’s tough to judge, but I’ve been happy enough with what I’ve had to eat, and the family seems to be okay with what they have had as well. Not earth-shattering, but not bad either. Probably worth checking out the next time you’re driving by one.
Update – thanks to Elizabeth, below, we now have an online version of Cook Out’s menu.
Comments
98 responses to “Cook Out Restaurant”
About the chili cheese dogs: I was born and raised in Cincinnati, but also have lived here in NC for the past 6 years. Cincinnati is famous for their BEANLESS chili spiced with cinnamon…it’s more like a sauce than a chili, really, because the meat is so finely chopped. OMG, it’s amazing. Go to your nearby grocery and buy a pack of frozen Skyline chili, put it on a bun with some mild cheddar, some onions…MMMMm. Anyway, so even though they have the chili cheese dogs here, they don’t have it with CINCINNATI chili on it :-).
Also, I’m very excited to hear that they bought some space for a Cook Out in Wilmington because I miss it!!!!
PS It would be great to know the nutritional facts…that’s how I found this website to begin with, searching Google for them.
Charlotte Business Journal – by Ashley M. Gibson
Friday, September 2, 2005
Cook Out, a family-owned, drive-through restaurant, opened last week on Freedom Drive — the first of a handful slated to sizzle in Charlotte.
“We’re excited to be a part of Charlotte and all the growth that is going on here,” says Jeremy Reaves, who co-owns the business with his father, Morris Reaves.
Freedom Drive caught their attention because of a large crowd of people coming in and out of the Aldi grocery store there. A vacant lot was available next door.
The family bought the land from Aldi, designed a drive-through and walk-up eatery and began construction earlier this summer, pouring more than $1 million into the project.
The two like the Queen City so much that the family is moving Cook Out’s headquarters here as well.
The new HQ will be on Sugar Creek Road.
The company has 30 restaurants sprinkled across North Carolina, including Cook Outs in Burlington and Thomasville. Cook Out offers customers flame-cooked burgers and hot dogs, milkshakes, corn dogs, seasoned fries and barbecue items all for under $3 each.
Morris Reaves and his mother, Jane, founded the business in 1990. At the beginning of this year, Morris and Jeremy searched the Charlotte area for a prime location.
There’s a nice sit inside -drive around combo location in Lincolnton right off Hwy 321 just west of the Hwy 27-150 exit. Plenty of time to peruse the menu inside amidst all of the race paraphenalia adorning the walls. They also just opened a new one in Conover just east of Hickory. As a matter of fact, my wife and daughter are picking up dinner there right now!
Please open a Cook Out in Reidsville NC 27320 or if that can’t be how about Eden NC
Danny, the brownie milkshake is also my favorite, but I have only ever seen it at the Western Blvd.-Raleigh location (near N.C. State Univ). Indeed, I was also laughed at by an employee at the Walnut St.-Cary location when I inquired about the brownie milkshake. Fortunately, those 2 locations are close enough to each other (about 3 exits down the highway apart) that I left the drive-thru attendant in Cary laughing while I drove away and went to the Western Blvd. location. I have also been to several other locations in Raleigh and haven’t found another with the brownie milkshake, but I think the food menu is more consistent from location to location.
I’m not a big burger & fries eater, but Cook Out is WAAAY better than any fast food burger. I, too, would love to see a merging of the best of both worlds – wonderful, old-fashioned hamburgers and milkshakes with some modern technology in the way of a website with menus, locations, and contact information.
I love cookout the most. No one makes a fresher tasting burger, and all those fresh veggies floor me.
I agree with KM about the chili cheese dogs being a product of NC. I’m 54 years old, born in Greensboro, and grew up eating chili cheese dogs–no hot dog–just a hot dog bun, chili, onions and cheese. My parents, also born and raised in Greensboro, grew up eating them this way too.
I was a former GM with COOKOUT when they only had 3 stores
I came up with the Cheddar Style Burger .
Have not worked for Cookout in awhile but still talk with Jeremy from time to time
Greensboro is the Home Office but last we talked , he was moving it to Archdale
Cookout is a great company to work for and the Reaves are great owners .
If you’ve never ate at Cookout ,your missing one of Lifes true Pleasures.
We (co-workers and I) generally eat at one of the CookOuts here in Raleigh a couple times per week… the food has always been good but we would love it if we could get a MENU of some sort….
“Chili Cheese Dogs” (i.e. chili, cheese, onions, but no hot dog, all in a hot dog bun) are absolutely a Cincinnati thing.(rarely found outside the region actually)
Danny, I’m NC born and bred…lived here my entire 41 years and grew up eating Chili Cheese Dogs. Most people I know from around NC also grew up either eating them or at least knowing people who did. Not sure about their relationship to Cincinnati, but they are definitely also a product of NC if not the entire South.