📍 Atlanta, Georgia • 3 In-Town Stores • 13 Metro • 2026
Cook Out Atlanta GA — 3 Locations, Addresses & Hours (2026)
Cook Out has 3 restaurants inside Atlanta city limits — Ponce de Leon Ave in the Old Fourth Ward, Moreland Ave in East Atlanta and Northside Dr in West Midtown — plus 10 more within about 25 miles of downtown.
In-town stores opened in 2014. Most Cook Outs open 10:30 AM and close around 3 AM (4 AM Fri–Sat). Cookout Tray about $7.39–$7.99.
This guide lists every Cook Out in Atlanta and the surrounding metro, with addresses from Cook Out’s own store locator, one-tap directions, the closest store to each neighborhood, typical late-night hours and what to order. The three in-town drive-thrus sit on Ponce de Leon Ave, Moreland Ave and Northside Dr; ten more ring the city from Kennesaw and Alpharetta to Morrow and McDonough.
Last verified: October 2026 | Sources: Cook Out store locator (October 2026), Rough Draft Atlanta, Tomorrow’s News Today Atlanta
How Many Cook Out Locations Are in Atlanta?
There are 3 Cook Out restaurants inside the City of Atlanta: 544 Ponce de Leon Ave NE (Old Fourth Ward), 403 Moreland Ave SE (East Atlanta, just off I-20) and 1112 Northside Dr NW (West Midtown, near Georgia Tech). Counting the suburbs, 13 Cook Outs sit within about 25 miles of downtown.
All three in-town stores are about 2 to 2.6 miles from the center of the city, so most intown residents are less than a 10-minute drive from one of them outside rush hour. They are drive-thru and walk-up restaurants built for speed, and like most Cook Outs they stay open long after the dinner rush.
The ten suburban stores are in Morrow, Riverdale, Tucker, Lithonia, Marietta (two), Kennesaw, Alpharetta, Snellville and McDonough. Georgia as a whole has 46 open Cook Outs as of October 2026, according to the Cook Out store locator, making it Cook Out’s third-largest state after North and South Carolina.
- Closest to Georgia Tech, Home Park and Atlantic Station: Northside Dr
- Closest to Ponce City Market, Virginia-Highland and Midtown’s east side: Ponce de Leon Ave
- Closest to Little Five Points, Reynoldstown, East Atlanta Village and Grant Park: Moreland Ave
Every Cook Out in Atlanta: Addresses & Directions
Below are all 13 Cook Out restaurants within roughly 25 miles of downtown Atlanta, grouped into the three in-town stores and the ten metro stores. Addresses come from the Cook Out store locator (October 2026); tap any card for Google Maps directions. Distances are measured in a straight line from downtown, so expect longer drives.
| Area | Stores | Cities | Main roads |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside Atlanta | 3 | Atlanta | I-20 • I-75/85 Downtown Connector • Ponce de Leon Ave • Northside Dr |
| Nearby Cook Out locations | 10 | Morrow, Tucker, Riverdale, Lithonia, Marietta, Kennesaw, Alpharetta, Snellville, McDonough | I-75 • I-20 • I-285 • GA-400 • US-41 |
1. Inside Atlanta — 3 Cook Out locations
The three city stores form a loose triangle around downtown and Midtown. Ponce de Leon Ave serves the Old Fourth Ward and the BeltLine Eastside Trail crowd, Moreland Ave covers the east side neighborhoods along the DeKalb line, and Northside Dr covers Georgia Tech, Home Park and West Midtown.
Cook Out Atlanta – Ponce de Leon Ave
544 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
Old Fourth Ward, in the former Zesto building; short walk from Ponce City Market
Cook Out Atlanta – Moreland Ave
403 Moreland Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
East Atlanta, just north of I-20 exit 60 near Reynoldstown and Little Five Points
Cook Out Atlanta – Northside Dr
1112 Northside Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
West Midtown near 14th St, about a mile west of Georgia Tech
2. Nearby Cook Out locations — 10 Cook Out locations
These ten stores are 11.8 to 25.4 miles from downtown Atlanta. Most sit right off an interstate exit, which makes them handy on the way in or out of town. Morrow, Riverdale, Tucker and Lithonia are closest (about 12–13 miles); Kennesaw, Alpharetta, Snellville and McDonough are 22–25 miles out.
Cook Out Morrow
6273 Jonesboro Rd, Morrow, GA 30260
11.8 mi; on Jonesboro Rd (GA-54) near I-75 exit 233 and Southlake Mall
Cook Out Tucker
4487 Hugh Howell Rd, Tucker, GA 30084
12.6 mi; on Hugh Howell Rd east of downtown Tucker, DeKalb County
Cook Out Riverdale
6897 GA-85, Riverdale, GA 30274
12.7 mi; on GA-85 in Clayton County, south of Hartsfield-Jackson Airport
Cook Out Lithonia
2790 Panola Rd, Lithonia, GA 30058
13.1 mi; on Panola Rd just off I-20 exit 71, south DeKalb
Cook Out Marietta – Austell Rd
3800 Austell Rd SW, Marietta, GA 30008
14.2 mi; on Austell Rd (GA-5) in south Cobb near Wellstar Cobb Hospital
Cook Out Marietta – Cobb Pkwy
9 Cobb Pkwy, Marietta, GA 30062
15.8 mi; Cobb Pkwy (US-41) at Roswell St, across from the Big Chicken
Cook Out Kennesaw
745 Chastain Rd NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144
22.2 mi; on Chastain Rd off I-75 exit 271, near Kennesaw State University
Cook Out Alpharetta
11475 Haynes Bridge Rd, Alpharetta, GA 30009
22.3 mi; on Haynes Bridge Rd just off GA-400 exit 9, North Point area
Cook Out Snellville
2019 Scenic Hwy, Snellville, GA 30078
23.0 mi; on Scenic Hwy (GA-124) in Gwinnett County
Cook Out McDonough
1404 GA-20, McDonough, GA 30253
25.4 mi; on GA-20 just off I-75 exit 218, Henry County
Which Atlanta Cook Out Is Closest to Me?
Inside the Perimeter, pick by side of town: west and northwest Midtown use Northside Dr, the Old Fourth Ward and Virginia-Highland use Ponce de Leon Ave, and the east side from Little Five Points to East Atlanta Village uses Moreland Ave. Outside I-285, the nearest suburban store usually sits at the closest interstate exit.
| If you are in… | Closest Cook Out | How to get there |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia Tech, Home Park, Atlantic Station, West Midtown | 1112 Northside Dr NW | Head west to Northside Dr, then to the 14th St area |
| Midtown (east of Peachtree), Old Fourth Ward, Poncey-Highland | 544 Ponce de Leon Ave NE | Ponce de Leon Ave east toward Ponce City Market |
| Virginia-Highland, Inman Park, Druid Hills | 544 Ponce de Leon Ave NE | Ponce de Leon Ave west |
| Little Five Points, Candler Park, Edgewood | 403 Moreland Ave SE | Moreland Ave south toward I-20 |
| Reynoldstown, Cabbagetown, Grant Park | 403 Moreland Ave SE | Memorial Dr east to Moreland Ave |
| East Atlanta Village, Ormewood Park, Kirkwood | 403 Moreland Ave SE | Moreland Ave north across I-20 |
| Downtown, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, State Farm Arena | 1112 Northside Dr NW or 544 Ponce de Leon Ave NE | Northside Dr north from the stadium, or the Connector to Ponce |
| Buckhead, Westside | 1112 Northside Dr NW | Northside Dr or Howell Mill Rd south |
| Airport, College Park, Forest Park | Riverdale (GA-85) or Morrow (GA-54) | I-75 south or GA-85 south |
| Tucker, Northlake, Stone Mountain area | Tucker (Hugh Howell Rd) | I-285 to the Tucker area |
| Stonecrest, Lithonia, south DeKalb | Lithonia (Panola Rd) | I-20 east to exit 71 |
| Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta | Alpharetta (Haynes Bridge Rd) | GA-400 north to exit 9 |
| Kennesaw, Acworth, Town Center | Kennesaw (Chastain Rd) | I-75 north to exit 271 |
| Stockbridge, McDonough, Hampton | McDonough (GA-20) | I-75 south to exit 218 |
Traffic matters more than mileage in Atlanta. At 5 PM the Downtown Connector can turn a three-mile trip into a 25-minute crawl, so surface streets such as Ponce de Leon Ave, Moreland Ave, Memorial Dr and Northside Dr are often the faster way to reach the in-town stores.
When Did Cook Out Come to Atlanta?
Cook Out reached Atlanta in 2014. The Moreland Ave store was announced in September 2013 as the chain’s first location in the city, and the Ponce de Leon Ave and Northside Dr stores were both open by the end of December 2014.
1989: Morris Reaves opens the first Cook Out in Greensboro, North Carolina, building the chain around charbroiled burgers, trays and thick milkshakes.
July 2013: Cook Out enters Georgia with a store on Fair Rd in Statesboro, near Georgia Southern University, in a former Bojangles’ building.
September 2013: Local business reporting reveals plans for 403 Moreland Ave, just off I-20, in a building that had housed Hooks Seafood & Chicken and originally a Mrs. Winner’s Chicken & Biscuits. It is billed as the first Cook Out in the city of Atlanta.
October 2013: A demolition permit is filed for a shuttered Wachovia bank branch at 1112 Northside Dr near 14th St, the future West Midtown store.
April 2014: The Moreland Ave store, at the edge of East Atlanta, is reported as set to open that month.
September 2014: Zesto, the drive-in that had served burgers, shakes and dipped cones on Ponce de Leon Ave for about 60 years, closes its Old Fourth Ward location on September 20. Cook Out takes over the site; the city permit says the iconic exterior will remain the same while the interior is rebuilt.
Late December 2014: Cook Out quietly opens on Ponce de Leon Ave in the former Zesto, and the Northside Dr store is also reported open.
2015–2016: Suburban growth follows, including Austell Rd in Marietta (former KFC site near Wellstar Cobb Hospital), Riverdale on GA-85, Snellville on Scenic Hwy and a site on Cobb Pkwy across from Marietta’s Big Chicken.
2026: The Cook Out store locator lists 3 stores inside Atlanta, 13 within about 25 miles and 46 across Georgia.
The Ponce store is the one locals talk about most. The former Zesto building won the Atlanta Urban Design Commission’s Award for Architectural Excellence in 1991, and Cook Out kept its look rather than tearing it down, so a modern late-night tray now comes out of a classic Atlanta drive-in.
Which Interstate Exits Have a Cook Out Near Atlanta?
Six metro Cook Outs sit within half a mile of a highway exit: I-20 exits 60 (Moreland Ave) and 71 (Panola Rd), I-75 exits 218 (McDonough), 233 (Morrow) and 271 (Kennesaw), and GA-400 exit 9 (Alpharetta). That makes Cook Out an easy road-trip stop on the main routes through Atlanta.
| Highway | Exit | Cook Out | Distance from downtown |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-20 (east of downtown) | Exit 60, Moreland Ave | 403 Moreland Ave SE, Atlanta | 2.4 mi |
| I-20 (east, DeKalb) | Exit 71, Panola Rd | 2790 Panola Rd, Lithonia | 13.1 mi |
| I-75 (south) | Exit 233, GA-54 / Jonesboro Rd | 6273 Jonesboro Rd, Morrow | 11.8 mi |
| I-75 (south, Henry County) | Exit 218, GA-20 | 1404 GA-20, McDonough | 25.4 mi |
| I-75 (north, Cobb County) | Exit 271, Chastain Rd | 745 Chastain Rd NW, Kennesaw | 22.2 mi |
| GA-400 (north Fulton) | Exit 9, Haynes Bridge Rd | 11475 Haynes Bridge Rd, Alpharetta | 22.3 mi |
| US-41 Cobb Pkwy | At Roswell St, Marietta | 9 Cobb Pkwy, Marietta | 15.8 mi |
For the two in-town stores off the interstates: Ponce de Leon Ave is the east-west spine between Midtown and Decatur, and the store sits between Boulevard and the BeltLine Eastside Trail. Northside Dr runs parallel to the Downtown Connector on its west side, from the stadium district north toward Buckhead, so the 14th St and 10th St crossings are the easy ways in from Midtown.
Driving I-75 between Tennessee and Florida? Kennesaw (exit 271) is the first metro Cook Out southbound, and McDonough (exit 218) is the last before the drive toward Macon. On I-20 from Augusta or Birmingham, Lithonia (exit 71) and Moreland Ave (exit 60) are the two closest to the highway.
Is There a Cook Out Near Georgia Tech and Other Atlanta Campuses?
Yes. The Northside Dr Cook Out is about a mile west of Georgia Tech, making it the go-to late-night run for Tech students in Home Park and West Midtown. Kennesaw State, Clayton State and several big hospitals also have a Cook Out within a short drive.
Georgia Tech Northside Dr (1112 Northside Dr NW) is the closest store, near 14th St on the west side of campus and Home Park.
Georgia State & downtown Students around Downtown and Sweet Auburn usually choose Ponce de Leon Ave or Northside Dr, each a few miles away.
Atlanta University Center Clark Atlanta, Morehouse and Spelman students can take Northside Dr north past the stadium district to the West Midtown store.
Emory University From the Druid Hills campus, Ponce de Leon Ave west leads straight to the Old Fourth Ward store.
Kennesaw State University The Kennesaw Cook Out sits on Chastain Rd, the same road as KSU’s main campus, near I-75 exit 271.
Clayton State University The Morrow store on Jonesboro Rd (GA-54) is the nearest for Clayton State and the Southlake area.
Hospitals Night-shift staff at Emory University Hospital Midtown are close to Ponce de Leon Ave; Wellstar Cobb Hospital is near the Austell Rd store in Marietta.
Dobbins Air Reserve Base For Dobbins in Marietta, the closest Cook Outs are on Cobb Pkwy at Roswell St and on Austell Rd.
Because most Cook Outs serve until 3 AM on weeknights and 4 AM on weekends, they fill the gap after libraries, labs, concerts and hospital shifts end. Expect the busiest drive-thru lines in Atlanta between about 11 PM and 2 AM on Thursday through Saturday nights, especially around game days at Bobby Dodd Stadium and Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
What Time Does Cook Out Close in Atlanta?
Most Cook Outs open at 10:30 AM and close around 3 AM Sunday through Thursday and 4 AM on Friday and Saturday. Hours vary by store and can change on holidays or during staffing shortages, so check the store on Google Maps or call before a very late trip.
Typical Cook Out schedule: 10:30 AM open every day; about 3:00 AM close Sun–Thu; about 4:00 AM close Fri–Sat. Late at night the drive-thru is usually the only way to order.
| Day | Typical opening | Typical closing |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 10:30 AM | About 3:00 AM |
| Monday–Thursday | 10:30 AM | About 3:00 AM |
| Friday | 10:30 AM | About 4:00 AM |
| Saturday | 10:30 AM | About 4:00 AM |
These are the chain’s usual hours, not a promise for any single Atlanta store. Holiday schedules (Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s) are set store by store. For more detail on lunch hours, breakfast questions and holiday closings, see our Cook Out hours guide.
What Should I Order at Cook Out in Atlanta, and How Much Does It Cost?
Order the Cookout Tray: one entrée, two sides and a drink for about $7.39–$7.99, depending on the store. A Jr. Tray starts around $5.29, and milkshakes are about $3.99 with more than 40 flavors.
The tray is the reason people drive across town for Cook Out. Pick a burger, chopped barbecue, a hot dog, a chicken sandwich, chicken strips, a quesadilla or a wrap as the entrée, then add two sides such as fries, onion rings, hushpuppies, chicken nuggets, a corn dog or cheese bites. The drink can be a soft drink, sweet tea or a Cheerwine, the North Carolina cherry soda that is a Cook Out staple.
- Cookout Tray (entrée + 2 sides + drink): about $7.39–$7.99
- Jr. Tray: from about $5.29
- Milkshake (regular): about $3.99, 40+ flavors
- Cheerwine, sweet tea and fountain drinks: included with a tray
- Payment: cash and major cards accepted
Prices are set by each store and can differ by a few cents across Atlanta. For the full lineup, see our guides to the Cookout Tray, burgers, sides, milkshakes and drinks, or the complete Cook Out menu. Counting calories? Try the calorie calculator.
Ordering tips for the Atlanta stores: the in-town drive-thrus can back up at peak times, especially late on weekend nights, so a walk-up window (where open) can be quicker. Know your order before you reach the speaker, and say “tray” first so the crew rings it up as a combo.
How Does Cook Out Compare to Atlanta Favorites?
Cook Out wins on late-night value: a full tray with a drink for under $8, served until 3 or 4 AM. Atlanta’s own icons win on history and atmosphere, and most locals use both.
| Spot | What it is known for | How Cook Out differs |
|---|---|---|
| The Varsity | Atlanta drive-in since 1928 on North Ave near Georgia Tech; chili dogs, onion rings, frosted orange | Much later hours and a cheaper all-in-one tray |
| Zesto | Atlanta drive-in brand since 1949; burgers, dipped cones, shakes | Cook Out now occupies Zesto’s former Ponce de Leon Ave building |
| Waffle House | Founded in 1955 in Avondale Estates; open 24 hours | Burgers, trays and milkshakes instead of waffles and hash browns |
| Chick-fil-A | Atlanta-based chicken chain; closed Sundays | Open Sundays and late at night; burger-focused menu |
Cook Out’s big draw is the combination: a charbroiled burger or barbecue sandwich, two sides, a drink and the option of a thick milkshake, all from a drive-thru that is still open after the bars let out. If you want a sit-down experience or a piece of Atlanta history, The Varsity or a classic Waffle House booth is the better choice; if you want the most food for the money after midnight, Cook Out is hard to beat.
Where Can I Find More Cook Out Guides Near Atlanta?
For the rest of Georgia, start with our statewide guide, which lists all 46 Georgia stores from Rome and Dalton to Savannah and Valdosta. Heading north toward Tennessee? The Chattanooga guide covers the stores just over the state line.
Cook Out Georgia Every Georgia store, including Athens, Augusta, Macon, Columbus, Savannah and the Gainesville area.
Cook Out Chattanooga North on I-75 past Dalton, the Chattanooga-area stores straddle the Georgia–Tennessee line.
Cook Out Tennessee All Tennessee locations, from Chattanooga to Knoxville and Nashville.
Cook Out South Carolina Driving I-85 north toward Greenville and Charlotte? Start here.
Cook Out Locations Finder Search every state and city guide on the site.
Cook Out Delivery How delivery works if you would rather not drive at 1 AM.
Cook Out Atlanta FAQs
Answers to the questions people ask most.
How many Cook Out locations are in Atlanta?
There are three Cook Outs inside Atlanta city limits: 544 Ponce de Leon Ave NE in the Old Fourth Ward, 403 Moreland Ave SE in East Atlanta and 1112 Northside Dr NW in West Midtown. Ten more are in the suburbs within about 25 miles, including Morrow, Tucker, Riverdale, Lithonia, Marietta, Kennesaw, Alpharetta, Snellville and McDonough, for 13 in the metro.
Which Cook Out is closest to Georgia Tech?
The Northside Dr store at 1112 Northside Dr NW, 30318, is the closest, about a mile west of campus near 14th St in West Midtown. Students in Home Park can usually get there in a few minutes. The Ponce de Leon Ave store at 544 Ponce de Leon Ave NE is the next option for students living on the east side of Midtown.
Is the Ponce de Leon Cook Out the old Zesto?
Yes. Zesto closed its Ponce de Leon Ave drive-in in the Old Fourth Ward on September 20, 2014, after about 60 years, and Cook Out took over the site. The city permit called for the exterior to remain the same while the interior was rebuilt, and the store opened in late December 2014. Today its address is 544 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, 30308.
What time does Cook Out close in Atlanta?
Most Cook Outs, including the Atlanta stores, typically close around 3 AM Sunday through Thursday and around 4 AM on Friday and Saturday, opening at 10:30 AM each day. Late at night only the drive-thru is usually open. Individual stores can change their hours, especially on holidays, so confirm on Google Maps before a very late trip.
Is there a Cook Out near I-20 in Atlanta?
Yes, two. The Moreland Ave store at 403 Moreland Ave SE is just north of I-20 exit 60 on the east side of downtown, between Reynoldstown and Little Five Points. Farther east, the Lithonia store at 2790 Panola Rd sits about a quarter mile from I-20 exit 71 in south DeKalb County, roughly 13 miles from downtown.
Is there a Cook Out near the Atlanta airport?
There is no Cook Out at Hartsfield-Jackson itself. The closest stores are in Clayton County: Riverdale at 6897 GA-85, south of the airport, and Morrow at 6273 Jonesboro Rd near I-75 exit 233 and Southlake Mall. From downtown hotels, the in-town Northside Dr and Ponce de Leon Ave stores are closer.
How much is a Cookout Tray in Atlanta?
A Cookout Tray costs about $7.39 to $7.99 at Atlanta-area stores and includes one entrée, two sides and a drink such as sweet tea or Cheerwine. A Jr. Tray starts at about $5.29, and a regular milkshake is about $3.99. Prices are set by each store, so expect small differences between Ponce de Leon Ave, Moreland Ave, Northside Dr and the suburbs.
Which Cook Out is near the Big Chicken in Marietta?
The Cook Out at 9 Cobb Pkwy in Marietta sits on Cobb Pkwy (US-41) at Roswell St, across from the landmark Big Chicken KFC. It is about 16 miles from downtown Atlanta. Marietta’s second store is at 3800 Austell Rd SW in south Cobb, near Wellstar Cobb Hospital.
Find the Closest Cook Out in Atlanta
Jump to the directory for one-tap directions to Ponce de Leon Ave, Moreland Ave, Northside Dr and the ten metro stores. Late-night plans? Confirm the store’s hours on Google Maps first.