Cookout Menu 2026: Updated Full Menu, Tray Combos, Burgers & Milkshakes
Explore the latest Cookout menu with prices, photos, and PDF download for May 2026. View combos, trays, burgers, shakes & more!
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May 2026
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Cookout Menu
Delicious flavors. Made for every craving.
Welcome to the Cookout Menu 2026
It’s late at night, and you’re hungry in a way that makes every food option sound delicious. You pull into Cook Out thinking it’ll be a quick stop, maybe just a burger and a drink. But the moment you look at the menu board, everything changes. Burgers, BBQ trays, chicken sandwiches, wraps, hot dogs, fries, sides, and thick milkshakes in so many flavors that you actually stop for a second and think about what to order.
That’s the Cook Out experience. Simple food, big portions, and a menu that never feels boring. One visit to site.com can turn into a full meal decision problem because everything looks worth trying. From char-grilled burgers and crispy chicken to smoky BBQ plates, loaded hot dogs, and fresh wraps, the Cook Out menu covers every kind of craving. And then there are the sides: fries, hush puppies, onion rings, and milkshakes that feel like a full dessert on their own.
Cook Out has been serving this style of food since 1989, and even in 2026, it still stands out because it doesn’t try to be fancy. It focuses on taste, freshness, and value that actually feels real. In this complete Cook Out Menu 2026 guide, you’ll find everything in one place full menu items, tray combos, burgers, BBQ, chicken, sides, drinks, desserts, and milkshakes so you can easily decide what to order without any confusion.
Cooks Out Tray Menu: The Best Combo Deal in Fast Food
If you’ve never tried a Cook Out tray, today is the day. You pick one main dish, choose two sides from a list of over 15 options, and a large drink is included. That’s a full meal for a price that makes other chains look expensive. It’s not even a close comparison.
Regular Tray vs Junior Tray
The regular tray is for when you’re genuinely hungry full-size burgers, complete BBQ plates, whole chicken filets. The Junior Tray runs a bit smaller and works well for kids or anyone who just wants a lighter meal. Corn dogs, BLTs, and 2-piece chicken strips all fit nicely as Jr. Tray mains.
Main Dish Options (20+ Choices)
Big Double Burger
650–750 cal
BBQ Sandwich or BBQ Plate
600-700 cal
Chicken Breast Filet, original or spicy
450–550 cal
Cajun Chicken
500–600 cal
Chicken Strips, 2-piece or 3-piece
400–600 al
Chicken Sandwich
450–550 cal
Hot dogs in several styles
300–450 cal
Corn Dog
220–300 cal
BLT Sandwich
400–500 cal
Quesadilla
400–550 cal
Your 15+ Side Choices
This is where the Cookout Tray really pulls ahead of everything else. Pick any two, or double up on your favorite. Nobody’s stopping you.
Cajun Fries
$ 2.49–2.99
300–400 cal
Regular Fries
$ 2.29–2.79
280–350 cal
Hush Puppies
$ 1.99–2.49
300–350 cal
Onion Rings
$ 2.49–2.99
320–400 cal
Coleslaw
$ 1.49–1.99
150–250 cal
Mac and Cheese
$ 2.49–2.99
300–400 cal
Corndog Nuggets
$ 2.49–2.99
250–350 cal
Cheese Bites
$ 2.99–3.49
350–450 cal
Walking Taco
$ 3.49–3.99
400–550 cal
Chicken Nuggets
$ 2.99–3.49
300–400 cal
The Milkshake Swap
Your tray comes with a large drink, but here’s what regulars always do. They swap it for a milkshake for just a small extra charge. Regular shake or a loaded fancy one, it barely costs anything, and it completely changes the meal. Do it at least once and see what happens.
Tray Combos People Actually Order
There are over 54,000 possible tray combinations. You could genuinely eat something different every day for years. That’s the whole point of the system.
Cook Out Burgers: Fresh Char-Grilled Beef Made to Order
Every Cookout burger is made with fresh beef. Not frozen, not held under a lamp, not pre-cooked. Each patty gets char-grilled to order. You taste that smoky, slightly charred edge in every bite, and that’s something no shortcut can replicate.
Burger Sizes
A simple guide to our burger sizes—choose from Small, Regular, Big, or Big Double depending on how hungry you are. Each option is freshly prepared to match your appetite perfectly.
$ 3.29
Small Burger
$ 3.79
Regular Burger
$ 4.79
Big Burger
$ 5.79
Big Double Burger
Burger Styles
+130 Cal.
Plain
Just the patty, nothing extra
+130 Cal.
Cookout Style
lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mustard, ketchup, the signature build you should try at least once
+130 Cal.
House Style
Cook Out’s fully loaded version
+130 Cal.
Cheeseburger Style
Melted American cheese
+130 Cal.
Bacon Style
Real bacon, never shy with the portions
+130 Cal.
BBQ Style
Smoky BBQ sauce over the patty)
+130 Cal.
Mushroom Style
Sauteed mushrooms, savory and underrated by most people
Customize Your Burger
You can build it exactly how you want. Cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, jalapenos, mustard, ketchup, mayo, BBQ sauce, ranch, honey mustard, A1 Steak Sauce, Texas Pete, Polynesian Sauce, Buffalo Sauce, or grilled onions. Grilled onions are genuinely underappreciated. Try them once.
Secret Menu Builds
Long-time customers know a few things worth asking for when it’s not too busy:
Peanut Butter Bacon Burger
unusual name, genuinely great result
$ 5.99
700–850 cal
Quesadilla Burger
the patty goes inside a quesadilla instead of a bun, and it works)
$ 5.79
650–800 cal
Firecracker build on a burger
chili, jalapeños, Cajun seasoning, Texas Pete
$ 5.89
700–850 cal
Lettuce Wrap Burger
replace the bun with lettuce for a lighter option
$ 5.49
350–500 cal
Cooks Out Chicken Breast Filets: Crispy, Juicy & Customer Favorites
The chicken breast filet is the top seller on the chicken side of the menu. Char-grilled and finished so it’s crispy outside and juicy inside. People genuinely drive across town for this. Once you try it, you’ll get why.
Three Ways to Get It
The spicy version works really well as a tray main. Pair it with mac and cheese and hush puppies for a combo that hits comfortably on any day of the week.
Cookout Chicken Cook Out Chicken Strips: Crispy, Flavorful & Surprisingly Good
Chicken strips get skipped over a lot by first-timers. That’s a mistake. Cook Out’s strips are thick and golden, and they hold their crunch past the first two bites, which genuinely isn’t something you get everywhere.
Order a 2-piece or 3-piece; both are available as tray mains. Dip them in ranch, honey mustard, or Cook Out’s own signature sauce. A tray with Chicken Strips, Cheese Bites, and Cajun Fries is one of the most slept-on combinations on the whole menu.
Cookout Chicken Wraps: Handheld, Filling, and Good
The Cookout wraps look simple, but they hold up in real life. Properly seasoned chicken, fresh vegetables, and a tortilla that doesn’t fall apart by the second bite. That last part matters more than people give it credit for.
Cajun Chicken Wrap
This is the one with its own fan base. Cajun-spiced chicken, cool lettuce, and creamy sauce. The hot-and-cool contrast is handled well, and it sits around 400 calories, which makes it one of the lighter options on the whole menu.
BBQ Chicken Wrap
Smoky BBQ chicken in a handheld wrap with fresh ingredients and tangy sauce. Great for eating in the car or on the go. Students and commuters order this one pretty consistently.
Both wraps work as tray mains. Get them with coleslaw and hushpuppies for a complete Southern-style meal in a format you can hold in one hand.
Cookout Sandwiches: The Section That Gets Overlooked
The BLT is worth mentioning here. Crispy bacon, fresh lettuce, ripe tomato, and creamy mayo on toasted bread. Nothing complicated about it, which is exactly the point.
The crispy chicken sandwich has a thick breast with seasoned breading that stays crunchy long enough to eat at a normal pace. The grilled version is there for anyone who wants the flavor without the fried breading. Build it into a tray, and you’ve got a full meal. A crispy chicken sandwich with onion rings and mac and cheese is a combination that works every time.
Cook Out BBQ Menu: Authentic North Carolina-Style BBQ
Cook Out does BBQ the Eastern North Carolina way. Chopped pork, actual smoke, and a tangy vinegar-based sauce that’s been part of Southern cooking for generations. This isn’t grilled meat with bottled sauce poured on top. It’s the real tradition.
BBQ Sandwich
350–450 cal $3.99
Tender chopped pork piled on a toasted bun with tangy BBQ sauce. The meat is smoked in-house at most locations, and you can taste that difference from the first bite. This sandwich is the reason some people drive 30 minutes to the nearest Cook Out.
BBQ Plate
600–750 cal $4.99
A full portion of smoked pork as a tray entree. Add Coleslaw as one of your sides, and you’re eating a proper NC BBQ plate for about what a basic combo costs at other chains.
BBQ Chicken
600–750 cal $4.49
The same smoky tradition applied to grilled chicken. Pairs especially well with Hush Puppies, which are a North Carolina staple in their own right.
Important: Always pick Coleslaw as one of your sides with anything from the BBQ section.
Cool, creamy slaw with warm, smoky pork is the traditional pairing, and it works every time.
Regulars always do this. Trust the tradition.
Cookout Quesadillas and Walking Tacos: The Surprise Section
More people are surprised by this part of the Cookout Menu than any other. Cook Out’s Mexican-style items are made fresh. Not reheated. Not from a bag. Actually made to order, and they’re genuinely good.
$ 3.99
Chicken Quesadilla
400–500 cal
Grilled chicken with properly melted cheese inside a warm, crisped tortilla. The cheese is gooey, the chicken is seasoned well, and the whole thing holds together. Better than most people expect from a BBQ-first spot.
$ 4.29
Beef Quesadilla
450–550 cal
Seasoned ground beef with melted cheese in a crisped tortilla. Quick, filling, and really good alongside Cajun Fries as a tray side. Some regulars make this their go-to on busy weeknights
$ 3.79
Walking Taco
400–550 cal
Bold, taco-style seasoned filling in a format that travels well. Works as a side or a tray addition. It has a quiet but dedicated fan base among people who discover it.
Cook Out Hot Dogs: Loaded, Char-Grilled & Full of Flavor
Hot dogs at Cook Out are not an afterthought. They’re char-grilled to order, and the loaded styles are genuinely impressive.
Plain Hot Dog
The most affordable item on the entire menu. Grilled hot dog on a bun, clean and simple. Some people order two of these and that’s their whole meal. Smart move, honestly.
Cook Out Style Hot Dog
Homemade chili, creamy slaw, mustard, and onion. The slaw on a hot dog sounds strange until you try it. Then it makes complete sense. A full-flavored meal at a very small price
Chili Cheese Dog
Warm chili and melted cheese over a char-grilled dog. Messy in all the right ways. You stop mid-bite to appreciate it and that’s completely normal.
Mustard Relish Hot Dog
Yellow mustard and sweet relish on a char-grilled dog. Classic, clean, and the kind of thing that makes you nostalgic even if you never had it growing up.
Firecracker Hot Dog (Secret Menu)
Chili, jalapenos, Cajun seasoning, and Texas Pete on a char-grilled dog. Not always on the main board but most locations will make it. If heat is your thing, this dish is the one.
Cookout Sides and Fries: 15+ Options That Actually Matter
The Cook Out sides are what set Cook Out apart from every other drive-thru. There are over 15 options with real portions, and you can double up on any of them. That kind of choice doesn’t exist anywhere else at this price.
Cajun Fries (The One Everyone Orders)
Hot, golden, and covered in bold Cajun seasoning that hits from the first bite. These are the side people specifically talk about when they mention Cook Out. Spicy enough to be captivating, savory enough to keep going. Skipping these on your tray is a choice you’ll reconsider.
Regular Fries
Classic, crispy, salted right. Light and crunchy outside with a soft center. Fresh from the fryer they’re as good as fries get.
Hush Puppies
Small golden cornmeal bites, slightly sweet inside, crispy outside. A Southern staple done properly. The insider move is to order Hush Puppies as both your tray sides. Regulars who figured this out don’t go back.
Onion Rings
Thick-cut with batter that actually sticks. A solid swap for fries when you want something with more bite and texture.
Coleslaw
Cool, creamy, and not watery. The right contrast for anything hot and smoky from the BBQ section. Not optional if you’re ordering BBQ.
Mac and Cheese
Real, warm, proper comfort food. Not from a powder. Goes especially well with the spicy chicken filet.
Corndog Nuggets
Bite-sized corndog pieces, crispy outside and warm inside. People find these by accident and order them deliberately every visit after.
Cheese Bites
Melted cheese wrapped in a crispy fried shell. Always gone before you expect them to be. Order extra.
Cook Out Style
Can’t pick? Cook Out Style gives you fries, onion rings, and hush puppies mixed in one side. Every texture, one choice.
Cooks Out Milkshakes: 40+ Thick, Creamy & Famous Flavors
A lot of Cook Out customers will tell you the Cook Out milkshake is the whole reason they came. These are hand-spun from real ice cream. It is not soft-serve, not a powder mix, and not pre-blended in a machine. Real ice cream, made to order every time. That’s why they’re thick enough that drinking through a straw takes actual effort, and you enjoy every second of it.
Classic Flavors
Chocolate
Rich, deep, and dense, the standard against which everything else is compared to
Vanilla
Smooth and pure, sounds simple, never actually disappoints
Strawberry
Properly fruity, not artificial-sweet
Classic Flavors
$ 3.99
Oreo
Real cookie pieces blended in, satisfying crunch in every sip, permanent bestseller
$ 3.99
Banana Pudding
The most talked-about item on the whole menu, thick and custardy with wafer pieces; people drive specifically for this one
$ 3.99
Peach Cobbler
Seasonal, Southern, worth timing a trip around
$ 3.99
Peanut Butter
Rich and nutty, really good swirled with chocolate or banana
$ 3.99
Cheesecake
Smooth, tangy, thick, a full dessert in a cup
$ 3.99
Caramel Fudge
Buttery caramel with a deep fudge richness
$ 3.99
Mint Chocolate Chip
Cool mint with real chip pieces throughout)
$ 3.99
Peanut Butter Fudge
Both flavors together, rich from start to finish
Fruit and Seasonal Picks
$ 3.99
Fresh Watermelon
Summer-only, genuinely refreshing on a hot day
$ 3.99
Fresh Peach
Tastes like actual summer
$ 3.99
Fresh Eggnog
The holiday one that brings people back seasonally
$ 3.99
Lemon Swirl
Tart and unexpected, works better than it sounds
$ 3.99
Cherry
Classic, sweet, clean
Candy and Dessert Flavors
$ 3.99
Reese’s Cup
Peanut butter and chocolate in drink form)
$ 3.99
M&M
Candy pieces blended in for sweetness and texture
$ 3.99
Butterfinger
Crispy, nutty, butterscotch flavor all the way through
$ 3.99
Snickers
Caramel, peanut, and chocolate all at once
$ 3.99
Kit Kat
Wafer crunch meets creamy chocolate)
Build Your Own
Cook Out lets you combine flavors and add mix-ins. People mix Banana Pudding with Oreo pieces, Chocolate with Peanut Butter, Vanilla with Strawberry swirl, Mint with Oreo. Once you start mixing you won’t stop.
Regular vs Fancy Shakes
Regular shakes are the classic single flavors. Fancy shakes are loaded combinations with more complex mix-ins. Both sit at roughly the same price in 2026, which means the Fancy upgrade is basically free.
Cook Out Drinks: Sweet Tea, Lemonade & Classic Favorites
Sodas
Coca-Cola, Sprite, Dr. Pepper, Orange Fanta, and the full Coke lineup. All part of your tray. Cold, carbonated, simple.
Sweet Tea
This is the South. Sweet tea at Cook Out is cold and properly sweetened. It’s the natural pairing for anything from the BBQ or burger menu. A BBQ sandwich with sweet tea is one of those small food moments that actually lives up to its name.
Lemonade and Cherry Limeade
Lemonade is clean and tart. The cherry limeade has built its own loyal group of regulars. It’s sweet and tart together, and on a warm summer evening, it’s honestly one of the better drinks you can be holding.
Cookout Floats, Cheesecakes, and Ice Cream Sundaes
Floats combine soda with ice cream for a fizzy, creamy, nostalgic experience that’s half drink and half dessert. Cheesecakes are rich and sweet, good by themselves or next to a milkshake.
Ice cream sundaes are cold, soft-serve with chocolate, strawberry, or caramel toppings. Simple, clean, and especially good late at night after a full meal.
Cook Out Sauces & Toppings: Customize Every Bite
Every item on the Cookout Menu can be customized with any of these:
Cook Out House Sauce
Slightly tangy, slightly sweet, made for burgers
BBQ Sauce
Smoky, tangy, right amount of sweetness
Honey Mustard
Sweet and tangy, best alongside chicken
Ranch
Cool, creamy, goes with everything
Polynesian Sauce
Sweet and fruity, surprisingly good with crispy chicken
Buffalo Sauce
Hot and vinegary with a real kick
A1 Steak Sauce
Bold and savory, the beef choice)
Texas Pete Hot Sauce
Proper Southern heat, clean vinegar flavor
Cook Out doesn’t charge extra for toppings and modifications. You build it how you want it. That’s less common than it should be at this price.
Vegetarian Options at Cooks Out
Cook Out isn’t a vegetarian place, but the Cookout sides menu gives plant-based eaters real options. A cheese quesadilla tray with Mac and Cheese and Cajun Fries is a full, filling, zero-meat meal.
Lettuce wrap
Available for any burger or chicken item instead of the bun
Grilled chicken
For lower fat compared to fried options
Mac and Cheese, Cajun Fries, Hush Puppies, and Onion Rings are all vegetarian-friendly
Milkshakes are vegetarian but contain dairy
No dedicated vegan burger patty yet, but there’s enough between the sides and the quesadilla to put together a genuinely good meatless meal.
Cook Out Calories Guide: Quick Nutrition Overview
Cook Out doesn’t publish full nutrition info on its website. Here’s a general calorie range for popular items on the Cookout Menu:
Burgers
|
Item |
Calories |
Level |
|
Regular Burger (Plain) |
260 – 280 |
Low |
|
Cheeseburger |
~340 |
Low |
|
Bacon Cheeseburger |
600 – 750 |
Medium |
|
Big Double Burger (Cookout Style) |
700 – 900 |
High |
Chicken
|
Item |
Calories |
Level |
|
Cajun Chicken Wrap |
~400 |
Low |
|
Chicken Strips (2 pieces) |
~380 |
Low |
|
Chicken Breast Filet (Original) |
~450 |
Medium |
|
Spicy Chicken Breast Filet |
~470 |
Medium |
Hot Dogs
|
Item |
Calories |
Level |
|
Plain Hot Dog |
260 – 280 |
Low |
|
Cook Out Style Hot Dog |
~390 |
Low |
Milkshakes
|
Item |
Calories |
Level |
|
Regular Milkshake |
500 – 700 |
Medium |
|
Fancy Milkshake |
650 – 850 |
High |
Sides
|
Item |
Calories |
Level |
|
Hush Puppies |
~250 |
Low |
|
Onion Rings |
~290 |
Low |
|
Mac and Cheese |
~310 |
Low |
|
Regular Fries |
~320 |
Low |
|
Cajun Fries |
~340 |
Low |
Why Cook Out Has a Following Like No Other Fast Food Chain
The Prices Don’t Add Up (In the Best Way)
Most fast-food combos cost between 10 and 13 dollars in 2026 and leave you wondering if you should stop somewhere else on the way home. A full Cook Out tray with a main, two sides, and a drink costs well under that. The value is real, not just in price but in actual portion size and quality.
The Portions Are Honest
Cook Out isn’t quietly making things smaller. The milkshakes are thick. The tray sides are real portions. You leave satisfied. That’s genuinely not a given anymore.
The Variety Has No Match at This Price
Over 40 milkshake flavors. 15+ sides. 20+ tray mains. Seven burger styles. Multiple chicken, wrap, quesadilla, and hot dog builds. The Cooksout Menu 2026 has more range than chains charging twice as much.
Late-Night Hours That Actually Help
Most Cook Out locations stay open until 3:30 AM on weeknights and 4:30 AM on weekends. Some run 24 hours. For college students, shift workers, and anyone hungry at midnight, Cook Out is there when nothing else is open. That alone built the late-night loyalty this place has.
Fresh Ingredients That You Can Actually Taste
Fresh beef, never frozen. BBQ smoked in-house at most locations. Milkshakes made from real ice cream, spun to order. These aren’t things written in a pamphlet. You can taste the difference and that’s why people keep coming back.
Most Popular Cookout Menu Items in 2026
Based on what regular customers keep ordering:
Banana Pudding Milkshake
Most talked-about item on the whole menu, people plan trips around it
Big Double Burger Tray
The full Cook Out experience, two fresh patties, Cajun Fries, Hush Puppies
Spicy Chicken Breast Filet
Builds a loyal repeat customer base unlike any other item
Cajun Fries
The most ordered side by a clear margin
Oreo Milkshake
Real cookie pieces, always in the top sellers
BBQ Sandwich Tray
Slow-smoked NC pork with Coleslaw and Hush Puppies
Cook Out Style Hot Dog
Chili, slaw, mustard, onion, wildly underrated
Hush Puppies as both tray sides
The insider move regulars don’t tell first-timers
Peanut Butter Fudge Milkshake
Rich, heavy, and consistently near the top
Cajun Chicken Wrap
The lighter-option crowd’s reliable go-to
Frequently Asked Questions
Try Cook Out Today: Find Your Perfect Meal
Once you try something from the Cookout Menu 2026, it naturally becomes a place you come back to again. The taste, variety, and value create an experience that doesn’t feel like a one-time thing, and you’ll find yourself choosing it again whenever you’re hungry.
After your first order, it doesn’t feel like just another fast-food stop. Everything from trays to burgers and milkshakes feels satisfying enough that ordering again becomes an effortless choice without even thinking about it.
The Cooksout Menu gets updated regularly with seasonal items, new milkshake flavors, and location-specific specials. Bookmark site.com and you’ll always know what’s worth ordering.