Cookout Locations 2026: Near Me, All 11 States & Best Cities

If you plan to visit Cookout, you may find out Cookout Locations that your nearest restaurant is far away because they aren’t available nationwide. However, with 380 Cookout restaurants in 11 states, mainly across the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the country, you can find the real ones using a map. We’ll show how to find one and give you a sneak peek at the Cookout menu.

Cookout has a different development strategy than most fast food restaurants. While most restaurants aim to open as many branches as possible, Cookout likes to cluster them together in areas around college towns, suburbs, and highways. Being aware of this pattern means you’ll easily find one. We’ve looked into how the official locator works and how they develop their restaurants.

The aim of this article is to help you save time and avoid searching for something that isn’t there. You’ll know which states have lots of coverage and which areas have none.

Which states does Cook Out operate in?

Cookout operates in 11 states across the country. They operate in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, West Virginia, Florida, and Maryland. There are approximately 150 restaurants in North Carolina out of the 380 total. They have announced they will have their first location in Ohio in Cincinnati in 2026, but this hasn’t been confirmed yet. Find out how many they have in each state and when they will be opening new ones below.

States With the Highest Number of Cookout Restaurants

Rather than following the standard fast food model of spreading its presence out across the country, Cook Out heavily focuses on creating a high density of restaurants in certain areas of the Southeast. This means that if you’re in a busy state, you’ll likely be able to find several branches within a short distance.

North Carolina alone has around 150 locations (39% of total), South Carolina has 14%, Georgia and Virginia have around 12%, and Tennessee has 11%. This totals almost 90% of the entire network. The other states are a small extension with much less coverage. This means that you’re very likely to be able to find a local branch within these areas, but much less likely outside of them.

Cities With the Most Cookout Restaurants

Cookout tend to be heavily concentrated in specific cities. The company focuses on active regions with consistent late night footfall. This means it is common to come across more than one Cookout in a short distance within a strong market.

As a result lots of Cookout’s busiest areas are medium sized cities. Cities which have a constant student population, a constant commuter population and a high late night demand will have multiple branches. Growth is based upon population movement.

Charlotte has the most with 14 locations, followed by Greensboro with 7 locations. Columbia, Raleigh and Memphis all have 6 locations. Durham has 5 locations and there are several cities with 4 locations including Augusta, Greenville, Knoxville and Wilmington. There are lots of regional cities with 3 locations including Asheville, Chattanooga, Charleston and Fayetteville. This shows there is a constant demand in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia.

States and Cities without Cookout Restaurants

Cookout is still a regional chain, so you will often get results from another state. Cookout primarily operates in the Southeastern region and surrounding Mid-Atlantic region, so many parts of the country will not have a local branch.

If you live in any of the following areas, you will usually have to travel to an adjoining state for support. The cities listed below are popular, and people expect a branch, but none currently exist.

Southern & Central Gaps

• Florida: Miami, Orlando
• Arkansas: Little Rock
• Missouri: Kansas City, St. Louis
• Louisiana: New Orleans
• Oklahoma: Oklahoma City
• Kansas: Wichita
• Delaware: Wilmington
• Indiana: Indianapolis
• Texas: Houston, Dallas, Austin

New England States

• Maine: Portland
• Vermont: Burlington
• New Hampshire: Manchester
• Massachusetts: Boston
• Connecticut: Hartford
• Rhode Island: Providence

Upper Midwest & Northern States

• New York: New York City, Buffalo
• New Jersey: Newark
• Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
• Ohio: Columbus, Cleveland
• Michigan: Detroit
• Wisconsin: Milwaukee
• Minnesota: Minneapolis
• Iowa: Des Moines
• Nebraska: Omaha
• North Dakota: Fargo
• South Dakota: Sioux Falls

U.S. Territories

• Puerto Rico: San Juan
• Guam: Hagåtña
• U.S. Virgin Islands: Charlotte Amalie
• American Samoa: Pago Pago
• Northern Mariana Islands: Saipan

Western States

• California: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco
• Oregon: Portland
• Washington: Seattle
• Nevada: Las Vegas
• Arizona: Phoenix
• New Mexico: Albuquerque
• Utah: Salt Lake City
• Colorado: Denver
• Wyoming: Cheyenne
• Montana: Billings
• Idaho: Boise
• Alaska: Anchorage
• Hawaii: Honolulu

Cookout Locations in the United States by State

If you’re trying to determine whether Cookout is available in your state, the list below will help you determine which states have Cookout locations.

Each state shows you a list of stores we have verified. If we could confirm a phone number for a store, we’ve included it. For the remaining stores, use the store finder on cookout.com.

Cookout in Alabama

Cookout is a great stopping point while traveling around Alabama. There are several places to visit throughout the state, including many major college towns and busy roads. Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, and Auburn all have regular coverage, so it makes for an easy stop for locals and drivers on the I-65 and I-20.

The table below will help you find the closest Cook Out to you by showing you the exact town, address, and phone number.

Cookout North Carolina

North Carolina is Cook Out’s hub and the state with the most locations. The restaurants are found in major cities such as Charlotte, Raleigh, and Greensboro as well as smaller college towns such as Chapel Hill and Boone, meaning that there is never far to travel to find one. Due to how dense their coverage is, many areas have multiple branches in the same city.

Using the table below, you can find the exact addresses and contact numbers for every operating restaurant in the state.

Cookout locations in South Carolina

South Carolina has some of the most extensive Cookout coverage outside of their home state. With a wide range of locations, there are numerous Cookouts located throughout major towns and busy coastal routes. Towns such as Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, and Spartanburg all have regular coverage.

Below is a table showing you the exact address and phone number for all the working Cookout locations in South Carolina. This will help you quickly find the closest branch to you.

Cookout in Virginia

Virginia has one of the biggest Cookout presences outside of the Carolinas. Cookout is located in several key cities, including Richmond, Virginia Beach, Harrisonburg, and other busy travel routes. As Virginia acts as a corridor between the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, they are often located on busy commuting routes and university areas.

Use the table below to find out exactly which city, address, and contact number each Cook Out in Virginia are located. This will help you find the nearest stop quickly.

Cookout in Tennessee

There are a number of Cookout locations in Tennessee including Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga and surrounding areas. This makes it easy to stop into one of the restaurants. Below is a table displaying the closest city to you with its address and contact number.

Cookout in Kentucky

The Cookout outlets have been established across Kentucky in growing towns and colleges with constant traffic throughout the day. Use the table below to locate the nearest outlet to you, details of all operating outlets can be found below including their address and telephone numbers.

Cookout in Maryland & Mississippi

With only one Cookout restaurant in Maryland, it is currently the furthest north location for the brand. If you are in the area you will be the go to place for anyone wanting to visit a Cookout in Maryland without going out of the region.
There are very few Cookout restaurants in Mississippi; however, they are located in specific cities where there is consistent local demand. This provides an easy stop for locals and those travelling along the main routes in the state.

Cookout in West Virginia

There are fewer Cookout restaurants in West Virginia. They are mostly located in cities such as Huntington, Beckley, Charleston and Cross Lanes. They are located along the I-64 corridor which makes them easy to visit for local customers. There are only a few locations across the main towns meaning most visitors will use these as their main location to find a restaurant close by.

Cookout in Georgia

Georgia has an extensive Cook Out presence. There are branches in many of the major metropolitan areas like Atlanta and Augusta, but there are also branches in some smaller towns. For example, Athens, Statesboro, and Valdosta. Many of the branches are located along high traffic roads like I-75 and I-85, so they make for quick pit stops.

As there are branches in both larger areas and towns most of the visitors will be able to find a close-by branch. The table below shows the cities we have looked into and their addresses. We were able to find a phone number for one of them:

Cookout in Florida

Florida is a new state for Cookout. The first restaurant opened in Pensacola in July 2025. A second was opened in Tallahassee in October of the same year. Two more stores were opened in July 2026: Temple Terrace (first store in the Tampa Bay Area) and Jacksonville (first store in Northeast Florida). We also have plans to open a store in Carrollwood and St. Petersburg.

New Cookout Openings

Cookout is continuing to steadily expand its reach by opening new restaurants in both established markets and new nearby areas. With recent openings in the Carolinas, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, and Alabama, more communities can get their hands on the brand. Many of the new spots are located in growing suburban areas and popular commuting routes.

There is an obvious trend of filling in gaps within existing regions with the latest openings. The new locations are helping to provide coverage between active cities, making it easier to move between towns.

Official Cookout Store Finder

The best way to find a Cookout near you is by using the official store finder. This ensures you only find real locations that are open, helping you to avoid any obsolete or incorrect information found on third party sites. You can also easily see Cookout Hours.

How to Use the Store Finder

• Open up the official Cookout website and navigate to the locations page
• Type your city or ZIP code/state into the search bar
• Grant permission to allow your location to be used for more accurate results
• Look through the list of nearby branches and their addresses.
• Click the directions button to begin navigating.

Fastest Way to Locate Cookout

When you are out and about, try searching for Cookout using the nearest exit or town rather than the exact town/city name. Many of their restaurants are based along main roads, so searching for the next town ahead of you will often return results more quickly. Using navigation apps along with the location tool will also help find open branches.

Alternative Ways to Locate Cookout

Alternatively, you can use location apps such as Google Maps or Apple Maps to quickly locate nearby branches. Once location services have been activated, simply search for the restaurant name. This should return the nearest locations with directions, images, and recent activity.

You can also use business directories such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, and local listings to double check if they are open and also may give updated information on their opening times.

How Cookout Selects New Locations

Cookout selects locations with high traffic areas. They look for places that have regular evening traffic, easy access to colleges and a high demand for their drive-thru. They also look for busy junctions in high traffic areas as they have a large amount of drive through. This can often mean they will choose busy town roads over busy city streets.

They also look at how close the location is to an existing market. New restaurants are often placed a reasonable distance away from existing locations. This means they are still able to keep the supply and staff at consistent levels. They will expand gradually around busy areas so they can keep everything running smoothly.

Are Cookout Locations Franchise or Company Owned?

Cookout is more of a company owned chain. This means that most of their restaurants are directly run by the company. This makes sure that prices, menus and service are consistent across all locations. As there are fewer independent owners, everything will be run consistently.

The brand is also growing at a slower rate. They aren’t opening hundreds of new stores through franchises. New stores are opened with care to make sure they’re maintaining quality and everything is run consistently.

Cookout as a Road Trip Stop

Many Cook Out stores are located near motorways and link roads which makes it very easy for people to stop at without having to go too far into busy urban areas. Most people will aim to stop at one of the exits as they can easily park their car and get back on the road quickly.

Most of the time it will be easier to search for the next town you’re travelling to. There are often many branches, so you can easily pick the one nearest to where you’re exiting. This saves time and keeps your journey moving smoothly.

Common Errors When Searching For Cookout Locations:

• Using third-party maps which are outdated or planned locations
• Misidentifying similar names
• Searching for locations across the whole state, when there are supported areas nearby
• Failing to look up if the location is permanently closed or moved
• Looking up locations in the city centre, rather than searching for ones nearby on the highway
• Not looking up official locations, and using old saved directions.

How Location Density Impacts Queue Times

In areas with multiple Cook Out locations nearby, you’ll generally find shorter queue times because traffic is spread out. In smaller markets with only one location, you’ll generally see longer queue times during busy periods.

Cookout Opening/Closing Times

Opening times vary by store, but drive-thrus will generally open later than dining areas. See our Cookout hours page for standard opening/closing times.

20 Cook Out Stops To Visit At Least Once

• Charlotte, North Carolina
• Raleigh, North Carolina
• Greensboro, North Carolina
• Chapel Hill, North Carolina
• Boone, North Carolina
• Wilmington, North Carolina
• Columbia, South Carolina
• Charleston, South Carolina
• Greenville, South Carolina
• Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Athens, Georgia
• Augusta, Georgia
• Nashville, Tennessee
• Knoxville, Tennessee
• Memphis, Tennessee
• Richmond, Virginia
• Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Birmingham, Alabama
• Lexington, Kentucky

These locations are widely known for being busy, having easy access to busy routes or campuses, and always having availability.

How to Choose Which Cook Out to Go To

There are only minor differences between all the Cookout restaurants as they all serve the same menu. However, you should make sure you:

• Check the closing times. The closing times on the website for week nights are around 1.30 am to 3.30 am. Your nearest store may have closed. You can find out more here.
• Drive Through Only. Most stores have two drive through lanes however, there is no indoor dining. Where there is indoor dining, it may also have earlier closing times.
• Location. Stores located near motorway exits are easy to stop at whilst travelling. The official store finder allows you to search by town, postcode or address.
• Confirmed Store Details. We have confirmed store addresses and contact numbers for our city guides. These include: Atlanta, Lexington and Florence.

Give them a quick ring. If you’re going for a holiday or very late run give the store a quick ring to make sure they are open.

Find a Cookout Near You

Now that you know Cookout isn’t just a random national chain and follows regional trends, it will be easy to find a Cookout near you. Using this information will make it easy to find one when looking at each state and city. Use the information given above about each state, how to find one near you, and their expansion to confirm they are available.

Use your state to find the closest city. This will only take a couple of seconds and ensure you won’t be wasting your time searching.

Next time you get the urge, you’ll know exactly where to go.

Frequently Asked Questions