Cook Out Tampa FL — 2 Locations, Addresses, Hours & Prices (2026)

Is There a Cook Out in Tampa, FL?

Yes. Cook Out’s store locator lists 2 open restaurants in the Tampa area as of October 2026: 16215 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33618, in the Carrollwood/Northdale area, and 5501 E Fowler Ave, Temple Terrace, FL 33617, at Fowler Avenue and 56th Street near the University of South Florida. Both are in Hillsborough County, about 7 miles apart in a straight line.

There is no other Cook Out anywhere near Tampa Bay. Nothing is open in Pinellas, Pasco, Polk or Manatee County, and the next-closest store is 14016 Beach Blvd in Jacksonville, about 173 miles northeast. Tampa and Temple Terrace are two of only five open Cook Outs in Florida; the others are in Jacksonville, Tallahassee and Pensacola.

• Tampa (Carrollwood/Northdale): 16215 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, across the highway from Gaither High School, north of Ehrlich Rd/Bearss Ave.
• Temple Terrace (near USF): 5501 E Fowler Ave, at 56th Street, about half a mile east of USF’s Tampa campus. It opened July 17, 2026, as Tampa Bay’s first Cook Out.
• Typical hours: most Cook Outs open at 10:30 AM and close around 3 AM Sunday–Thursday and 4 AM Friday–Saturday; hours vary by store.
• Tray price: a Cookout Tray (entree, two sides and a drink) typically costs about $7.39–$7.99.
• Next-closest store: Jacksonville, about 173 miles away. Kingsland, GA, and Tallahassee are both a little over 200 miles away.

Both buildings used to be Boston Market restaurants. Cook Out bought the two properties in May 2024, according to Hillsborough County records reported by FOX 13 and Tampa Bay 28. The Fowler Avenue store opened first, in July 2026, and the Dale Mabry store followed later in the year.

Where Are the Cook Out Locations in Tampa?

Tampa Bay’s two Cook Outs are listed first. Below them are the nearest stores outside the region, which are all more than 170 miles away. Addresses come from Cook Out’s store locator (October 2026), and each card has a Google Maps directions button. Distances are approximate straight-line miles from central Tampa, so real drives are longer. For other cities, use our Cook Out locations finder.

When Did Cook Out Open in Tampa?

Tampa Bay’s first Cook Out, at 5501 E Fowler Ave in Temple Terrace, had a soft opening on July 16, 2026, and a grand opening on Friday, July 17, 2026. The North Dale Mabry Highway store opened later in 2026. Both stores are in former Boston Market buildings that Cook Out bought in 2024.

What did the first review say?

In the Axios Tampa Bay review, reporter Yacob Reyes got in the drive-thru line at 6:54 PM and had his food at 7:41 PM, nearly an hour later. He ordered a Big Double tray Cheddar Style with Cajun fries, a walking taco and an Oreo peanut butter milkshake. His three-word verdict was “Worth the wait.” He wrote that the fries were seasoned to perfection, the burger had a smoky edge, and the walking taco and milkshake were the standouts. Opening-week lines like that are common when Cook Out enters a new market. They usually ease after the first few weeks, but expect waits on weekend nights and during USF’s school year.

We have not found a reliable published opening date for the Dale Mabry store, so this guide does not give one. More may be coming: Tampa Bay Beacons and Hoodline have reported Cook Out plans for another former Boston Market at 9595 Fourth St. N. in St. Petersburg. That site is not listed in Cook Out’s store locator as of October 2026, so treat it as a reported plan only.

Which Tampa Cook Out Is Closest to Me?

If you are north or west of Tampa, including Carrollwood, Northdale, Lutz, Citrus Park, Westchase or Pinellas County, the Dale Mabry store is usually closer. If you are in central, east or northeast Hillsborough, including USF, Temple Terrace, downtown, Ybor City, New Tampa and Brandon, the Fowler Avenue store is usually closer. The table uses straight-line distance and the most direct main roads. Traffic on Dale Mabry, Fowler and I-275 can change the answer at rush hour.

The two stores are about 7 miles apart in a straight line, a cross-town drive via Bearss or Fletcher Avenue. They are the main east-west links between the Dale Mabry corridor and the USF area. If one store’s line is wrapped around the lot, the other one is a reasonable plan B. Outside Hillsborough County, there is no closer option in any direction.

How Do I Get to Cook Out From I-275, I-75 or the Veterans Expressway?

For the Temple Terrace store, take I-275 exit 51 and go east on Fowler Avenue about 3.7 miles, or take I-75 exit 265 and go west on Fowler about 2.5 miles to 56th Street. For the Dale Mabry store, take I-275 exit 53 (Bearss Avenue) west to Dale Mabry and turn north, or come south on Dale Mabry from the Veterans Expressway.

Coming from each direction

• From downtown Tampa: I-275 north to exit 51, then east on Fowler Avenue. The Temple Terrace store is about 8 miles from downtown in a straight line.
• From St. Petersburg: I-275 north across the Howard Frankland Bridge. Either keep going to Fowler Avenue (exit 51) or use Bearss Avenue (exit 53) for Dale Mabry.
• From Clearwater or Oldsmar: cross to the Veterans Expressway, follow it north to the SR 568 connector, then go south on Dale Mabry.
• From Orlando or Lakeland on I-4: I-4 west to I-75 north, then exit 265 for Fowler Avenue.
• From Sarasota or Bradenton: I-75 north to exit 265 is the most direct route.
• From Wesley Chapel or Ocala: I-75 south to exit 265, or I-275 south to Bearss Avenue for Dale Mabry.

Fowler Avenue is one of the busiest roads in the University Area, so allow extra time during USF class changes and Busch Gardens closing time. North Dale Mabry is a six-lane commercial strip through Carrollwood and Northdale, and turning across traffic at peak hours can take a while.

Is There a Cook Out Near USF?

Yes. The Temple Terrace Cook Out at 5501 E Fowler Ave is about half a mile east of 50th Street, the eastern edge of the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus. It is the closest Cook Out to USF by far, and local coverage at opening said the store expected to draw much of the USF crowd.

USF students without a car should know that Cook Out is built around the drive-thru and walk-up window, not an indoor dining room. Most campus orders are picked up by car or delivered. For Lutz and Carrollwood residents and Gaither families, the Dale Mabry store is the neighborhood option.

What Time Does Cook Out Close in Tampa?

Most Cook Out stores open at 10:30 AM and close around 3 AM Sunday through Thursday and around 4 AM Friday and Saturday. When the Temple Terrace store opened in July 2026, Tampa Bay Beacons reported its hours as 11 AM to 4 AM every day. Hours vary by store and can change, so check each store’s Google Maps listing before a late drive.

These are typical chain-wide hours, not a posted schedule for either Tampa store. The 11 AM to 4 AM figure for Temple Terrace comes from opening-week reporting and may have changed. For holiday patterns and drive-thru-only nights, see our guide to what time Cook Out closes, and for other after-midnight ideas see Cook Out late-night food.

Late-night tip: Tampa has two stores, so if one closes early the other is about 7 miles away across town. Beyond that, the next Cook Out is roughly 173 miles away in Jacksonville, so there is no third option.

What’s on the Cook Out Tampa Menu, and How Much Does It Cost?

Both Tampa-area stores serve Cook Out’s standard menu: char-grilled burgers, chicken, barbecue, hot dogs, wraps, quesadillas, sides and 40-plus milkshakes. The best value is the Cookout Tray, typically about $7.39–$7.99 for an entree, two sides and a drink. A Jr. Tray typically starts around $5.29, and milkshakes run about $3.99. Prices vary by store and change over time, so treat these as typical figures.

Ordering tips for Tampa: the lines at both stores move fastest when you order by tray, for example “a Big Double tray, Cook Out Style, with hush puppies and onion rings, sweet tea to drink.” Shakes are made to order, so ask for them with the meal instead of adding them at the window. Feeding a USF study group or a Gaither team after practice? Several trays usually cost less than combo meals at the other chains on Fowler Avenue or Dale Mabry.

For full details, see the Cookout Tray menu, the milkshake menu, the burger styles guide and the Cook Out calories guide.

How Does Cook Out Compare to Tampa’s Other Late-Night Options?

Cook Out’s edge in Tampa is a full tray with two sides for under $8 and a drive-thru that usually stays open until 3 or 4 AM. Most of the fast-food chains around it on Fowler Avenue and Dale Mabry close much earlier.

Fowler Avenue between I-275 and I-75 is one of Tampa’s densest food corridors, packed with McDonald’s, Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Dairy Queen and Wingstop, plus Insomnia Cookies, Yemeni coffee shops, shawarma counters and noodle houses that serve the USF crowd. On North Dale Mabry, the Cook Out sits near Taco Bell and Steak ‘n Shake. Cook Out stands out for range: burgers, chopped pork barbecue, chicken, hot dogs and quesadillas on one menu, plus more than 40 milkshake flavors. For Tampa’s own food traditions, like the Cuban sandwich, Ybor City and the older neighborhoods are the place to go.

For a Big Double, hush puppies and a banana pudding shake at 1 AM after a USF night class or a late shift at Moffitt, Fowler Avenue is the place. On the north side, Dale Mabry handles the Carrollwood, Lutz and Citrus Park crowd.

Where Are the Other Cook Out Guides Near Tampa?

The nearest other Cook Out guides are all in north Florida: Jacksonville, about 173 miles northeast; Tallahassee, about 206 miles northwest; and Pensacola in the far western Panhandle. Our Florida guide lists all five open Florida stores.

Driving north from Tampa? The road to Jacksonville usually follows I-75 and I-10 or I-4 and I-95, and the Kingsland, Georgia store sits just over the state line on I-95. Heading for the Panhandle, Tallahassee is the first Cook Out on I-10. Between Tampa and those stores, there is nothing on the locator as of October 2026, including Orlando, Gainesville, Ocala, Sarasota and Fort Myers.

Cook Out Tampa FAQs

Answers to the questions people ask most.