Your thoughts on this article hyping the Southern burger chain "Cook-Out?"

[Miles Archer]

I'm of the belief that nothing "goes head to head with In 'n' Out," but I am also 3000 miles away from the nearest In 'n' Out. Anyone have an opinion on this place?

Why Cook Out Burger Is the Best Regional Chain in the South
For starters, it can go head-to-head with In-N-Out and Shake Shack



When it comes to regional fast-food chains, there are two notable rivals that stand true to time: In-N-Out on the West Coast and Shake Shack to the east. Folks who live anywhere in between have their own opinions as to which is the best—and fans of these two chains are loyal 'til the end.

North Carolinians, though, can attest that Cook Out is the only option when it comes to burgers in the South. The famous chain started out in Greensboro in 1989, offering typical cookout fare of burgers and hot dogs, milkshakes, and Southern-style BBQ. With more than 200 locations that span across North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, it's safe to assume that Cook Out is clear competition to In-N-Out and Shake Shack.

https://www.tastingtable.com/dine/national/cook-out-burger-chain

http://www.cookout.com/

[Floyd R. Turbo]

1. I'm lucky enough to live in a city with a number of great burger joints!

That said, when I'm in the South again I'll definitely check this place out!

[littlebit]

2. I lived in Greensboro NC for almost 20 years.

Cook-Out was one of the better burger places. I loved their banana nut shakes. I have also been to In-and-Out a few times when I am in Kingman Az for work. I personally think Cook-Out is better. That is just my opinion.

[FSogol]

3. 5 Guys exceeds In 'n' Out in food, quality and consistency. Cookout behind those two.

Cookout has these good points:

1. Excellent shakes
2. Cheap, cheap, cheap prices
3. They consider things like corn dogs and chicken nuggets to be side dishes.
4. Decent onion rings and hushpuppies.

Cookout's burgers and fries, while tasty are not as good as 5 Guys or In 'n' Out Burger.

My college age sons and their friends go to cookout all the time (Richmond, VA). If I am buying, they want 5 Guys.

[Miles Archer]

4. I've had 5 Guys...

...burgers were OK (I still prefer In 'n' Out), thought the fries were over-hyped and expensive. The primary reason I liked 5 Guys was that I got my burger with cheese and A-1...it was nice for a change.

[SCantiGOP]

5. 5 Guys is my favorite

Cook Out is average, nothing special in my opinion.

[OriginalGeek]

9. But Cook-out is way less money than 5 Guys

and more selections - including terrific milk shakes.

If I had both here I would pick Cook-Out every time and I like 5 Guys a lot.


But I have to drive at least to Savannah, GA to get Cook-out. 5 Guys is across the street.

Another new one I just discovered about 5 minutes away from work is called Habit. They make great food and also cheaper than 5 Guys. #2 combo with cheese and fries and drink is a little over 9 bucks which is a couple bucks less than 5 Guys here.

[SCantiGOP]

12. Cook Out is cheaper

I rarely drink milk shakes (cholesterol, not my preference) so maybe that is why I rate them differently.
You mention Savannah - are you in GA or SC? I live in Columbia but lived in Hilton Head for several years in the 80s.

[OriginalGeek]

18. I'm in central florida

But Savannah is one of my favorite places to visit. We used to go all the time because my wife's cousin lived there but he passed away some years ago so we haven't been but a couple times in the last several years. Last time was 2 years ago just passing through to Virginia where we tried to stop at every Cookout lol. There a lot of them along 95.

[Awsi Dooger]

15. In-N-Out sucks

Most overrated anything.

Other than great employees they have nothing to recommend.

I'm always in disbelief when that dump is touted and even revered. When I went away to college at USC my roommates raved about a burger joint and said I'd be thanking them the rest of my life. A half hour later I thought they had to be kidding. Minuscule and mediocre in a cardboard box. Decades later and nothing has changed. I'm convinced people like the place because they think they are supposed to.

5 Guys is superior but expensive. I ask for an extra bun so I can turn a double burger into two singles. They look at me funny and sometimes hesitate but I've never been denied. Much cheaper than ordering two singles.

Never had Cook Out. Maybe this fall when I travel in two months.

I really like Whataburger. Too bad they don't dent Florida further south than Jacksonville, if I'm correct. I found one in May while attending Players Championship golf.

[OriginalGeek]

19. We had a Wataburger here in Orlando

But it lasted maybe a year. It was a half mile from work and should have done well but nobody went. There's a Wendy's, burger king and McD across the street and they got lines every day. The 5 guys is pretty busy too. Hmm, maybe 5 burger places in one place is too much.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

21. Five Guys is the best of the new breed of fast casual burger speciality places.

I haven't had In n Out because they haven't bothered to come to the East Coast. Their loss, not mine. I'll try them when they bother to expand.

I have had Shake Shack, Smashburger, BurgerFi, Habit Burger and a few other similar places.

A burger's a burger and they're all good relatively speaking, but Five Guys has the best of the bunch.

The secret of Five Guys burger is that they wrap them tight in foil. It keeps the burger hot and juicy. Other places--including In and Out, apparently--have the burger half sticking out into the open elements, meaning it gets cooler faster.

The Five Guy fries are meh--they give you a lot of them, and I mean a lot, even for a "small"--but they really aren't much to write home about.

But Five Guys makes one tasty burger.

[Phentex]

23. This is funny. My college kids

told us we wouldn't like Cook Out. One said, "It's not really for older people. It's just cheap food."

When they are home, they want Five Guys too!

[jmowreader]

6. It wouldn't take much to "go head-to-head" with Shake Shack

I have a VERY minority opinion of Shake Shack, but here goes: It's not worth the money. The food is bland, too greasy and overpriced, and it's hard to enjoy it when the store is two-thirds the size it needs to be for the traffic it gets.

Cook Out is all right, I guess. It never really thrilled me. Given the choice of two or three locally based restaurants, Cook Out being one of them, I wouldn't pick Cook Out. I'd rather go to Zaxby's Chicken or Smithfield's BBQ. OTOH, if the choice was Cook Out or a national burger chain, I'd go to Cook Out.

[OriginalGeek]

10. I think SS has great food

but yeah, too expensive.

I'm just not interested in 15 dollar lunches most of the time. More food at Cook-out would be half that price.

However, SS does have beer and that gets me in their door on occasion.

[FSogol]

13. Also not impressed with shake shack. n/t

[jmowreader]

14. I am VERY impressed with their mastery of social media

The food? It's decent-enough quality but come on: for that kind of money you'd think they could at least install flame broilers in their stores. (Plus a chain broiler with the capacity they need is smaller than a grill.)

[Tommy_Carcetti]

22. Shake Shack was meh to me.

They opened one up about a mile away but after trying it out, I preferred the Five Guys which was within walking distance.

[GeorgeGist]

7. Culver's beats them all ...

IMO.

[OriginalGeek]

11. Driving around town the other day

I saw one being built. Looking forward to it!


why do I get so excited about hamburger threads? Lol, i love burgers.

[Luciferous]

25. Yes! Can't wait to go back home and have a butterburger :)

[OriginalGeek]

8. I specifically look forward to road trips north

so I can stop at Cook-Outs. YOU GET TWO SIDES WITH A MEAL AND ONE OF THEM CAN BE A CORN DOG! A CORN DOG!!! WITH YOUR BURGER!


and it's good food - cheaper than Shake Shack by a lot.

I didn't say it was healthy but man is it good. A friend of mine at work goes north fairly often to visit her family and she always sends me pics from the Cook-Out drive thru to make me jealous. I do the same.

[d_r]

16. Nope

I'm not a five guys fan either I don't like the buns

[Major Nikon]

17. I don't really see that much difference in any of them

As far as the burger itself goes, all of them use iceberg lettuce, thick skinned flavorless tomatoes, mass produced enriched buns, and I believe all use ground beef that's mass produced off-site. The only real differences are in some of the specialty condiments and seasonings used. If you want better bread and better ingredients, you'll need to look elsewhere at a premium cost or make it yourself.

[Lars39]

20. Hamburgers are good but small.

Portions are small, as in 4 smallish onions rings constitutes an order. Christian rock was all that was played. Crosses and other religious themed items as wall decor.

[politicat]

24. Steak n Shake in the midwest gets my vote.

Good Times in the Mountain West (Maybe Rally's in the SW, but the last time, I was not impressed.) In-N-Out is... okay. Their burgers are fine, but I'm distinctly unimpressed with their fries, and if I'm spending those carbs, I want really good fries.

We've got Smashburger and Larkburger for our fast casual burger options; I prefer Smash but Spouse prefers Lark. Five Guys is not on our local radar.

I'm never in the south, so I don't really have an opinion on this specific chain.

[Skittles]

26. I tried In 'n Out, was NOT impressed

the first time, good lawd, that sauce - YUCK

so then I tried it without - it was still mediocre

I try every new one - next up, Shake Shack

my favorite is still Whataburger

[Awsi Dooger]

27. My 10,000th post is a Whopper

I love Burger King.

Make that two Whoppers

[mercuryblues]

28. Rush's

Chili cheeseburger is one of the best fast food burgers I ever had. Great shakes and coleslaw.



http://www.rushs.net/