5 Cook Out Trays South Carolinians Order Without Looking at the Menu
At Cook Out, the burgers come in four sizes, and the Big Double sits at the top.
South Carolinians who pull into the drive-thru know their tray order before the speaker crackles.
Here are the Cook Out trays South Carolinians order without looking at the menu.
1. Barbecue Sandwich Tray
Tasting Table’s 2017 write-up described the tray as an entree, two sides and a drink.
A barbecue sandwich could be that entree, Vice reported in 2018.
2. Big Double Tray
Cook Out’s burgers come in four sizes, Mashed’s 2021 rundown said, running from small and regular to huge and Big Double.
The 2018 feature listed the Big Double Burger among the tray’s mains.
One tray held a double hamburger, a bacon wrap, a quesadilla, and a large drink.
If you want one dressed up, a Cook Out Style burger comes with homemade chili, slaw, onions, and mustard, according to the 2017 write-up.
3. Twin Hot Dog Tray
Hot dogs are one of the categories on Cook Out’s menu page.
Twin hot dogs were among the tray mains the 2018 feature listed.
Psst! How much do you know about Cook Out? Take our quiz and see how many you can get right.
Quiz
Cook Out IQ
Answer these questions on Cook Out and Carolina barbecue. We bet you can’t get them all right. Prove us wrong?
Cook Out opened its 100th location in 2012 in which South Carolina city?
4. Chicken Strip Tray
Chicken strips made the 2017 list of tray entrees, and Cook Out's nutrition guide calls them Homemade Style Chicken Strips.
Chicken wraps are on the menu too.
5. Chicken Sandwich Tray
The 2021 rundown counted seven Cook Out chicken sandwich variations: Original, Barbecue, Cajun, Club, Cheddar, Homemade, and Crunchy Spicy.
Chicken sandwiches also appeared on the 2017 list of tray entrees.
One customized combo in the 2018 feature included a spicy chicken sandwich and a chicken wrap with ranch.
Cook Out's nutrition guide also lists a char-grilled chicken breast and a spicy chicken breast.
Many regulars can say their tray order without a glance at the menu.
Tray Sides
The 2018 feature listed chicken nuggets, onion rings, corn dogs, bacon wraps, and Cajun fries as tray sides.
Hushpuppies and chicken wraps turn up on the 2021 rundown's list of sides.
A quesadilla gets a mention as a side in the 2017 write-up.
Side and Full Order Portions
Cook Out's nutrition guide lists hushpuppies as a Side of 3 ounces and 300 calories.
A Full Order doubles that to 6 ounces and 600 calories, and onion rings split the same way, at 128 calories for a Side and 256 for a Full Order.
Okra, Cook Out Rounds, and cheese curds are among the sides too.
Tray Drinks
A milkshake could replace the tray's drink for a nominal fee, the 2018 feature said, and the 2017 write-up put the upgrade at $1 more. Cook Out's menu page advertises "40+ milkshake flavors."
Milkshake Flavors in Print
The 2018 feature said the menu board advertised more than 40 milkshakes and named Banana Fudge and Oreo Mint among them.
It also described a chocolate cheesecake shake that blends in an entire slice.
The 2017 write-up added chocolate chip mint, orange push-up, and Southern-style peach cobbler to the list, and said fresh watermelon is offered seasonally in summer.
The 2018 feature also mentioned a blog that ranked the shakes, with Reese's Cup ranked first and Hi-C Fruit Punch near the bottom.
Sweet tea, sold as a huge tea, and a Cheerwine float are the other drinks it singled out.
Past Tray Prices
Print prices for the tray stayed close together: $5 in 2017, less than $6 for a loaded one in 2018, and $5 again in 2021.
Those figures are dated, so your Cook Out may ring up something different.
Walk-Up and Drive-Thru Service
At Cook Out, the 2018 feature described walk-up windows and dual drive-thru lines, with no indoor seating at most locations.
It said some newer locations had added indoor seating, and that the menu has no vegetarian options.
The 2017 write-up said combos come in Styrofoam trays and burgers are wrapped in aluminum foil.
Early Store Milestones
Cook Out's company timeline dates its first sit-in location to 1996, on North Main Street in High Point, North Carolina.
The 10th store opened in 1998 on Peters Creek Parkway in Winston-Salem, and the 50th in 2008 in Conover.
The 2010 Tunnel Road opening in Asheville is described there as starting the year with record sales.
A 2017 write-up counted more than 200 Cook Out locations across ten states.
The 2018 feature said Cook Out was set to mark its 30th anniversary in 2019, after growing past 200 restaurants across the Southeast.
First Store Outside North Carolina
Cook Out's company timeline dates its opening in Greensboro, North Carolina, to 1989.
The 74th store, opened in 2010 in Spartanburg, South Carolina, was the first outside the state.
9 Foods South Carolinians Call Something Different From Other Americans
South Carolina has different words for some familiar foods.
These are the foods South Carolinians call something different from other Americans.
9 Foods South Carolinians Call Something Different From Other Americans
6 Things South Carolinians Do at a Tailgate That Nobody Else Would
Tailgating is a game day tradition in South Carolina.
These are the things South Carolinians do at a tailgate that nobody else would.
6 Things South Carolinians Do at a Tailgate That Nobody Else Would
