I'm a total fan boy for pretty much any Cook Out! Some of their locations are in 'hoods but this one is conveniently located right off the freeway in Cary. I'm just amazed at the different flavors of milk shakes, there's too many choices, it'll take a few minutes just to read them all! read more

Customer service is terrible. Rude nasty attitude staff and orders are consistently WRONG!

Place is absolute trash, from the soggy not cooked all the way through fries. To the burger that wasn't cooked throughly, not prepared in the way I had ordered it. To the staff that pushed an open box of food out the window and let it go and almost dropped it. Called the number listed on Google with no response, which definitely wasn't surprised that they didn't didn't answer the phone. I mean i'm not expecting too much from a fast food place but when I order something with something off of it or something added to it I expect it to be made with or without these items The way I ordered it and got charged for. Definitely not pleased and I would recommend that no one go to this Location. read more

This place is a bit hard to get to but once you pull in you have a choice to pull left or right of the building. if you're the only one in the car, keep to the right as they have to give you food and you give money via the drive up window. The menu offers quite a bit and this place isn't overly busy so I highly recommend this joint. read more

You can't beat the price of a cookout tray. The foods usually pretty good, and their milkshakes are amazing. My only complaint is with this location is that I've gone here three times in the last month and every time I place my order, they say everything back to me to correctly, but when I get home my burger has literally nothing I asked for.. read more

Food - 4+ Stars Intercom system - 1Star I'm in full agreement with Jenny M.. Cook Out reminds me of what Mc Donald's USED to be, it's like Judge Doom said talking about the future on Who Framed Roger Rabbit "Restaurants that serve rapidly prepared food" (Mc D's Is NOT rapid any more). The food is really good for the price. Is it black angus beef? No. But does it tast good? YES! Better than Mc D's? Yes. Just please fix your intercom!! And train the employees how to use it. read more

Bruh pulled up to this bitch and asked for a chicken tender tray w cajun fries and a cajun ranch wrap.... home boy hands me a tray w chicken strips and regular fries. didn't realize til I got home. shits lowkey annoying. read more

We skipped a company paid five star meal at The Umstead for cookout and did not regret it. - Ronny Fang

Cookout. A Triangle staple for burgers, shakes and classic fast food. Tray for a meal, some sides, and a big drink, or swap for a shake. All sorts of flavors and mix and match to make new ones. Fresh hot food. Just beware this place has 2 lines for drivethrough, one is on the right side (opposite of driver) which makes it a bit difficult to get if you are by yourself. read more

Incredible food for what you get. I recently moved from the west coast and thought I was be amiss without my beloved In-N-Out... this blows said establishment out of the water by a mile. Shakes are incredible, burgers, hush puppies, onion rings.... all good. The lone item I've tried and didn't gush over was their bbq. Just unbelievable delicious. read more

We were looking for something good and fast as we had been driving for ten hours. Cook out delivered delicious inexpensive food. We had BBQ chicken hush puppies and Cole slaw. A double cheeseburger quesadilla and fries. We're only here for a few days but already have plans to go back! read more

Full review at: http://fathungrypanda.blogspot.com/2014/08/cook-out-where-loaves-of-bread-and-wine.html This was one of the places that locals gushed about when I got here. The fact that there's one in my backyard (no, literally...if I step out the rear sliding door of my townhouse, I can be at the walk-up window within two minutes) meant that it was just a matter of time before I ate there. Every day, around 3:30, the smell of burgers fills the air, as they start bracing for the dinner rush. And I'll give them that--the burgers are fresh. We're not talking about the frozen patties that other chains use. It also seems that each patty is inspected for thorough cooking. I've noticed over the years that the patties are split up the middle, probably to insure they're not too pink. The delivery system and concept are simple: drive through or walk up. There's no eating area...unless you count an adjoining parking lot, like our townhouses. It's as fast as fast food can get: get in, get the food, get out. The menuboard requires both a graduate degree and 20/20 vision to read. It's dense and a bit difficult to navigate. They simplified it about a year ago, but it's still tough to get through the first few times. This is further complicated by the fact that the location I go to is staffed by obnoxious teenagers who don't like to be given an order twice and hate being asked to confirm orders. I rarely have someone get my order right the first time I give it, and even more rarely get someone who's not annoyed when I ask them to confirm it...just to make sure that "extra pickle" doesn't translate to "no pickle" somehow. Cook Out deals in the standard burger joint fare: burgers (or chicken breasts), barbeque, hot dogs, shakes, and sides. And to be honest, the food's fairly-priced for the portions. Their signature item is the "Tray"--a make-your-own meal that gives a pretty large reign over the menu (shakes extra, of course), for under five dollars. But their other signature is the subtle placement of bible verses and a little Lee Greenwood-influenced patriotism on the fry bags and shake cups. Now let's be honest here, few things say "'Murrika!" like inexpensive, artery-clogging burgers, fries, and shakes. But the only time I want Jesus involved in my meal is if he can take my cheeseburger tray, double fry, and milkshake and make it feed me more than once. Yes, it's their right to do it, but it's a bit disjarring for the nonreligulous. The food's decent. Like I said, the burgers seem to be cooked on the premises and either kept in a warmer or microwaved until they're server. The usual toppings are free, and things like tomato, cheese, and bacon will run extra. The burgers themselves do have a nice grilled taste to them that blends well with the toppings. The meat's good, and the toppings are fresh. I can't tell if the fries are fresh or frozen...and I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. The hot dog offerings are decent--the "mexi dog" in particular, with chili, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and a shot of Texas Pete to keep it local. Cook Out's shakes, while legendary in local food culture, are overrated. I'm sorry, but they just are. When people gush about the shakes, what I really think they mean is the sheer combinations of them, more than the quality. The shakes themselves are just soft serve ice cream with toppings and a few moments in a blender. I'd use an arctic-themed reference, but Dairy Queen and McDonalds grabbed trademark on the words, and their lawyers are better than mine...but you get the idea. Quality-wise, it's just soft serve ice cream. What Cook Out specializes at is the clever combination of flavors. Most, you can get pretty easily. Cookies and cream, Snickers, mint--all obvious mix-ins. But shakes like the cobblers use canned fruit and vanilla wafers, and the cheesecake shakes use fruit and some cheesecake. So there's a little creativity. Seasonal shakes (watermelon and egg nog) are cute on a menuboard, but didn't translate well when I've tried them over the years. When I was a little boy, I had a relative, Uncle Gene. Gene wasn't really an uncle as much as one of my paternal grandmother's in-laws for whom there may not have been a family title...so he just got "uncle" by default. Nice guy, as I remember, but he always had these little, red mini-bibles that he carried with him. At every family gathering, Uncle Gene was handing out the little, red mini-bibles to the kids present. I just came to expect it. When I think about Cook Out, I think about Uncle Gene--nice guy, but a little unwarrantedly preachy. Likewise, with Cook Out, the religulousness is just to be expected. The burgers are excellent, the fries pass muster, and the shakes are disguised soft serve, but the overall meal (or at least its price) makes enduring the "'Murrica!" and bible verses (I guess I should give them credit for avoiding the John 3:16 cliche) tolerable. read more

Remember when your dad would fire up the grill and have a big old fashioned barbecue? If he was anything like my dad, the food came to the rusty patio tables burnt and reeking of charcoal fluid. "Put some ketchup on it, it'll be fine!" might have well have been our family crest. This is why Cook Out rules, it tastes like food that has been properly grilled outdoors. Where else can you get corndogs and chicken nuggets as side options on a combo meal? Heaven, in the Meat Trifecta Section. Chris Farley and John Candy hang out there with Mama Cass. Get them to make you a Float with Sweet Tea or if you really want to be decadent try a Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Shake. It's like drinking the inside of a cannoli! I love it so. read more

Cook Out makes a mean burger, no question. You get a great char grilled flavor of the meat and they allow you to choose the burger size depending on your appetite and they crisp the bacon very well. I'm a sucker for their "Cheddar Style" burger: melted cheddar cheese, grilled onions and a spot of mayo...awesome. Their Cajun seasoned fries are another staple too. Their BBQ sandwich isn't bad either and excellent sweet tea. For fast food you can't go wrong here. read more

Although my Cardiologist has banned me from Cookout and every other fast food joint for that matter, I still dream of one day being able to hold my love once again... Huge out west style. I freaking love this burger! I gave it a shot just wanting something different, oh my God am I glad I did! It immediately became my only acceptable burger option at this establishment. I previously always got the big double tray which wasn't bad though... grilled onion Bacon and cheese. oh yeah! read more

Who doesn't like cookout! Probably the BEST way to clog your arteries!! Milkshakes are awesome, food is priced amazingly and it tastes even better!! read more

I would give no stars if possible, I went and paid with my card because I barely carry cash and my card information was stolen by a card reader machine which I noticed about 3 days after I "purchased" the food on a Saturday night around midnight. Received no receipt and didn't have to sign but I highly do not recommend going to this cookout. I know I will be sticking with the location in Durham. read more

Not too bad for the price , I was able to experience their nuggets 1 dollar for 5 pieces. The nuggets seemed to be cooked fresh and crispy . This is not the healthiest place but it gets the job done if you're ever in the area . read more

You must go there to truly understand. On the fast food level it doesn't get better than this. Everything I've had, honestly, is GREAT. My least favorite thing is the chicken quesadilla, my favorite thing is the corndog. But really you can't go wrong here, and you MUST save room for a shake. read more

From the way that Cook Out makes me feel I would give a 5-star rating, but the quality is not always on point. The majority of the time you get warm fries and a fairly juicy burger, but sometimes you get room temperature and limp fries and a disheveled burger. This can always be remedied if you are taking your meal home by use of the oven or microwave or by resituating your burger. I love their milkshakes and usually get a cappuccino/caramel fudge one, but they are so high in calorie that it can be hard to down one with a meal. I usually order the tray (a sandwich, two sides, and a drink for under $5) and get the 1/4 lb burger with double fry sides. For the sides I sometimes get the corn dog or quesadilla--both are good; I also enjoy their chicken nuggets but you only get three. The "styles" for the burgers are good options and are worth it to pay a little extra, I usually get cheddar style. The chicken sandwich is also good, and is in no way a downgrade from getting a burger. Make sure to ask for sauce, you get it for free and you will not always be asked. Oh and please don't ever get the low carb platter, it's tasteless: lettuce, tomato, chicken piece, onion. read more

Cook out is a must have! If you're looking for something quick yet delicious I recommend stopping here! But make sure you give yourself plenty of time because chances are you'll be in line for a few minutes waiting to order. Cook out gives you the speed of fast food but the quality of restaurant food. It's delicious! The serving sizes are great and you have a wide variety of choices to choice from when it comes to beverages. I suggest a milkshake! The only reason why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because you aren't able to order inside and sit down to enjoy your meal. read more

Hey, this is a burger joint. If you don't want greasy go to a place that has a salad bar. I find their food to be in the best way presented to what I expect at a fast food joint. they are way better than Micky d's and any other fast food joint for a quick burger. their burgers are made the same way that I would cook them on my own, the fries are great as well as the onion rings. the late night crowd must come early because at the cook-out that is located not more than 200 yards from me at lunch time is crawling with people. They could build another one across the street and would still be busy. there are other cook-outs in the area, but if you are a first timer, park the car, then look at the menu (it is not on the "net) and carefully choose what you want. just stay away from the bbq, if you want bbq, go to a bbq joint, try though the chicken club, it will slay you..... read more

Review your order before leaving the drive-through! Every time that we get a late night snack from the Cook Out in Cary, we are shorted by orders of fries, onion rings or hot dogs. Consequently, we don't go there but 1X every 6 months or so...long enough to forget poor service and shorting of orders. The milk shakes are the high point on the menu, however. read more

I don't get the hype that much. is it a good deal? Yes ... but the food is not particularly spectacular. The hushpuppies used to be a bit better. The fries are decent. The burgers are alright (get cookout style) but I wouldn't crave this place by any means. The milkshakes are really really thick. I had come here a long long time ago but hadn't been back - a friend was raving so decided to give it another go. I was expecting In-n-Out - so maybe my expectations were too high. Overall, the food is fine and for the price is good. read more

It's just hard to give fast food 5 stars but I love this place. My favorite drive thru franchise period. Their selection makes Sonic look marginalized. read more

Great exp. had 2 types of chx sandwichs loved the spicy one, the grilled was good as well . Onion rings and hush puppies and sides of slaw were great . Then had a shake and a float. I could see why there was a line! The service was fast and polite ! read more

The burgers are small. The fries tasted like fish. I would not trust an operation that is too cheap to change their fryer oil and/or shares the same fryer with fish products. read more

Great fast food for a reasonable price. If I checked in everytime I go thru they might want to charge me rent....LOL

This is one of my favorite fast food joints. Everything is ready available they are always recommend combos. This place has the menu for on the go travels with the family. Try their milkshake!! Enjoy read more

We were only staying in town for the night to fly out of Raleigh in the morning, so we were looking for something quick. The large numbers of cars in the parking lot and drive through led us to believe this place must be good! Wow, were we wrong. I ordered a chicken sandwich - the bun was stale, the lettuce so old and wilted it barely existed, and the miniscule chicken breast was about the thickness of a credit card. My husband had the "big double" burger which was a joke. Two tiny, silver dollar patties on stale bread and totally inedible. He also ordered unsweet tea and got sweet tea. Somewhat palitable, were the corn dog and fries, which were fine. The only good thing was their lightning fast service...but that only leads me to believe all the old, precooked food just sits there, waiting for schmucks like us to order it. What a waste of money. read more

This place is probably one of the least pretentious chains in the area. It definitely does not pretend or try to represent themselves as anything than what they are: cheap, good, fast food. The portions are pretty big. The lunch tray is a fantastic deal and always leaves me full (I typically get a burger cheddar style with fries and hush puppies, though if you're hungry you can pick sides that will fill you up more, like a chicken wrap). The drinks are also huge, though they tend to go overboard with the ice, so make sure to ask for light ice. The burgers have always piping hot and delicious. The fried chicken is a little crunchy with the breading, but not bad. If you don't like those choices, the menu is varied enough for you to pick something else, like a BBQ pulled pork sandwich, or hot dogs. The milkshakes are decent, nothing to write home about, but quite cheap for those summer evening munchies that might strike you. Overall, I don't know how anyone could hate Cook-Out (except when there's a line, I do not recommend going through the drive-through as there is almost ALWAYS a giant line). I tend to park in one of the visitor parking spots in the apartments behind Cook-Out and just walk to the take out window; don't use the parking lot, it's the size of a stamp and the drive-through line and/or street traffic sometimes prevents you from leaving. There can sometimes be a line there during lunch time, but it's not usual to wait a long time. The service can sometimes be flaky because they've hired someone new, but they've always been polite to me. Bottom line: great cheap food, don't expect anything more than that and you will leave happy. read more

If you are craving a burger and a milk shake, this is a good spot to visit. The prices are affordable and the service is speedy.

Food was not bad at all, just bland especially the chicken bacon club sandwich but they redeemed themselves with the Reese ' s peanut butter cup shake. Plus the fries were hot and had the right amt of salt. If the chicken sandwich had any flavor they would have gotten 5 stars with no problem. read more

Best.Drive-thru.EVER. This place is amazing. For less that $5 you can get a FRESH burger, fries and a milkshake...all of which individually stand out, and together are AMAZING. They have tons of flavors - don't charge extra for anything you want on your burger...are fast and friendly. For what it is, this is as good as it gets!!! read more

They forgot half of my order and I had to drive 10 miles back to get the rest. Then it wasn't even offered to remake my order as the food I did receive was cold by the time I made it home the 2nd time to eat it. Highly disappointed because I love cookout but will not be making it back to this one. read more

Not sure what is going on at CookOut but the quality of the food and service is deteriorating. The last 3 times I have been there 1) I got the wrong order 2) I got a mint chocolate chip shake with no chips, when I returned it, they threw a bunch on top and gave me the same chipless shake 3) my last grilled chicken club sandwich was so dry and overcooked I could hardly bite pieces off it. Guess I will be taking a break from CookOut and hope they get their act together. read more

I've delayed my writing of this review for quite some time in order that I might be better equipped to bring down this establishment through rhetorical skill. This cookout is the preferred hangout for bums and favorite eatery of drunk drivers and or drunk passengers that need to stuff their fat faces before passing out on their friends couch only to awake the next morning after nearly drowning in their own drool. The taste and quality of the food is certainly on par with the distinguished tastes of bums and drunks alike, however the major issue lies in the sanitation of this establishment. Do not be fooled by the near perfect sanitation score they hang on the wall, if you are probably in a hunger filled trance that prevents you from reading two numbers correctly. The inside of a cookout has a sanitation on par to your dog's food bowl, and that's why you aren't allowed inside. Ever wonder why your milkshake tastes like spoiled milk? It could be because the milkshake mixer is never cleaned, they actually just replace it after it is destroyed from the friction of stirring 20,000 milkshakes. The employees(God bless them, and please don't spit in my food) lack even the basic understanding of cleanliness. I actually had to witness an employee spill half my milkshake on the counter, then proceed to scoop it with her hands, put it back in the cup and hand it to me like I was going to take it. She looked at me like "whelp there ya go, perfectly good milkshake" I can not express how much I wanted grab that milkshake out of her hand, throw it back into the cookout window and see it splatter all over the back wall, and then watch her dumbfounded face in disbelief that I had just done that. Fortunately I lacked to courage and I simply tried to explain to her why I wanted a new milkshake, and of course she didn't understand and I left that day without it. I'm not going to say never go to cookout, because of course you will. But understand the risks before pigging out on some fries and a corndog that were likely dropped on the floor and fell behind the Friars. 2/5 (would recommend over Waffle House) read more

Just moved from NY came late night on a Sunday. A group of 3 ate plenty for 15 dollars and change. Service was phenomnal the young lady who took our order at the drive thru was pleasant and patient with us considering it was our first time. WE WILL BE BACK VERY SOON! read more

This is the place for shakes. There are other places that do shakes, but Cook Out is unmatched for variety and quality. The burgers and other items are good, but the reason I go to Cook Out is the shakes. On that note, the burgers and sandwiches are good, but I think Five Guys are a notch better. However, I don't complain about the food here, especially when ordering a "tray" - a main food item like a burger, fries, and then upgrade the soda to a shake. It's good food. The BBQ (Carolina-style) is good too. This is properly grilled food. It's drive-through only, no inside or outside seating. The drive thru service is amazingly fast, but plan to eat in your car or go to a nearby park. You can also grab one of the few parking places and walk up to an order window. The price is low, the food is quite good, and the shakes are great. My favorite is Mint Oreo, my wife's favorite is peanut butter banana, and there is a wide variety to choose from. You can't go wrong here, pick from a lot of shake flavors, and a lot of toppings / styles for your burger, or chicken, or dogs, or BBQ, or fries, or onion rings, or ... read more

Great fast food, amazing milkshakes, and good prices. The lines are generally fast even when the place is packed. Be aware that it is just a drive through. There is no where here to eat. We love bringing out of town guests because they can't believe the milkshake menu. I do wish the menus were a bit easier to read, but it's a great place to grab some food, then head to Walnut Street park down the street to picnic. read more