Cook Out Charlotte NC — 13 Locations, Addresses & Hours (2026)

How Many Cook Out Locations Are in Charlotte?

There are 13 Cook Out restaurants in Charlotte, NC, according to the Cook Out store locator (October 2026). They run from 715 Charlottetowne Ave near uptown to 10525 Mallard Creek Rd in University City and 13317 York Center Dr in Steele Creek, and 12 more Cook Outs sit within about 23 miles in Concord, Harrisburg, Huntersville, Cornelius, Gastonia, Denver, Indian Trail, Kannapolis, Monroe and Rock Hill, SC.

That makes 25 Cook Outs within roughly 23 miles of uptown Charlotte. North Carolina as a whole has 144 open Cook Outs as of October 2026, more than any other state, and Charlotte’s 13 are all in Mecklenburg County. One more Charlotte store, at 10820 Woodland Beaver Rd (ZIP 28215) on the far east side, is listed as coming soon per Cook Out’s locator and is not open yet.

All 13 city stores are between about 1 and 10 miles from the center of town, so almost every Charlotte neighborhood is within a 15-minute drive of one outside rush hour. The fastest way to choose is by side of town:

• Uptown, Midtown, Elizabeth, Dilworth: 715 Charlottetowne Ave
• West Charlotte and the airport side: 2540 Freedom Dr or 4374 South Tryon St
• North Charlotte and University City: 1301 Sugar Creek Rd, 4333 Sunset Rd, 9615 North Tryon St or 10525 Mallard Creek Rd
• East Charlotte: 1025 Frank Bailey Dr (Independence Blvd), 5715 N. Sharon Amity Rd or 6438 Albemarle Rd
• South and southwest Charlotte: 1815 Sardis Rd, 10645 Park Rd or 13317 York Center Dr

Older lists of Charlotte Cook Outs that include a Central Avenue store in Plaza Midwood are out of date: Cook Out’s October 2026 locator shows no Central Ave location, and the closest store to Plaza Midwood is now Charlottetowne Ave.

Where Is Every Cook Out in Charlotte? Addresses & Directions

Every Cook Out in Charlotte is listed below, grouped into four areas of the city, followed by 12 nearby stores in the surrounding counties. Addresses come from the Cook Out store locator (October 2026); tap a store for Google Maps directions. Distances for nearby stores are straight-line miles from uptown, so actual drives are longer.

Which Charlotte Cook Out Is Closest to Me?

Pick by side of town: uptown and the inner neighborhoods use Charlottetowne Ave, the north side and University City use Sugar Creek, Sunset, North Tryon or Mallard Creek, the east side uses Independence, Sharon Amity or Albemarle, and the south side uses Sardis, Park Rd or York Center Dr.

If you are near the county line, the closest store may be outside the city: Huntersville (I-77 exit 23) for the Davidson and north Mecklenburg side, Concord Speedway (I-85 exit 49) for the Concord Mills side, Indian Trail for the US-74 commute into Union County, and Rock Hill for drivers heading south on I-77 into South Carolina.

How Has Cook Out Grown in Charlotte?

Cook Out was founded in Greensboro in 1989 by Morris Reaves, and Charlotte has become its densest city: 13 stores inside the city in October 2026, with several of the newest added in the last two years.

Charlotte suits Cook Out’s model. The city is crossed by I-77, I-85, I-277 and the I-485 loop, it has a huge late-shift workforce around the airport, hospitals and distribution centers, and its suburbs keep growing in every direction. Most Charlotte stores sit on major commuter roads such as Independence Blvd, North Tryon St, South Tryon St and Albemarle Rd rather than in shopping malls.

Exact opening years for most of the older Charlotte stores are not documented publicly, so this guide does not list them. If you know when your neighborhood store opened, check local news archives rather than older location lists, which often contain closed or relocated addresses.

Which Interstate Exits Have a Cook Out Near Charlotte?

The easiest highway stops are Sunset Rd at I-77 exit 16, Sugar Creek Rd at I-85 exit 41, the Concord Mills area at I-85 exit 49, Huntersville at I-77 exit 23 and Cornelius at I-77 exit 28. Independence Blvd (US-74) and N. Tryon St (US-29) also each have a Cook Out right on the road.

Charlotte traffic is the main thing that changes which store is “closest.” At 5 PM on a weekday, a store a mile off your route may be faster than one two exits ahead. Late at night, when the interstates are clear, the exit-side stores on I-77 and I-85 are usually the quickest in-and-out stops.

Driving to a race weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway or zMAX Dragway? The Concord Speedway store on Gateway Ln and the Harrisburg store on Z-Max Blvd are the two closest, and both get very busy before and after events. Plan for longer lines or pick a Charlotte store on the way in.

Is There a Cook Out Near UNC Charlotte and Other Charlotte Campuses?

Yes. UNC Charlotte has two Cook Outs close by, on North Tryon St (US-29) and Mallard Creek Rd. Central Piedmont’s Central Campus is near the Charlottetowne Ave store, and the uptown hospitals and stadiums are a short drive from it too.

Late-night hours are what make Cook Out a student and night-shift favorite in Charlotte. A full tray at 1 AM costs well under ten dollars at most stores, and there is a milkshake for nearly every craving.

What Time Does Cook Out Close in Charlotte?

These are typical Cook Out hours, not posted hours for each Charlotte store. Some locations may close the dining area or walk-up window earlier than the drive-thru, and newer stores sometimes run shorter hours in their first weeks. Holiday hours also vary, so a store that is open late on a normal Tuesday may close early or be closed on major holidays.

There is no breakfast menu: Cook Out does not open in the morning. If you need food before 10:30 AM, try a breakfast spot; for anything from lunch through the bar rush, Cook Out is one of the few fast-food options in Charlotte that reliably stays open past midnight.

For more detail on hours, holidays and drive-thru times, see our Cook Out hours guide.

What Should I Order at Cook Out in Charlotte, and How Much Does It Cost?

Order a Cookout Tray: one entrée, two sides and a drink for about $7.39 to $7.99. Add a milkshake for about $3.99 and you have a full meal for around $12, one of the best values in fast food in Charlotte.

Prices vary by store, and the Charlotte locations may run a little higher than smaller-town stores. Menus are posted at the drive-thru, and sides change rarely. Big orders go faster if you have them ready before you reach the speaker; at busy stores like Sugar Creek Rd or North Tryon St after midnight, the line can wrap around the building.

Want more detail? See our full Cook Out menu with prices, the Cookout Tray guide, the milkshake menu, the burger menu and the secret menu. Counting calories? Use the Cook Out calorie calculator or the nutrition guide.

How Does Cook Out Compare to Charlotte Favorites?

Cook Out wins on price and late hours; Charlotte’s local institutions win on history and atmosphere. Most Charlotteans use both: Cook Out for a cheap, fast tray at midnight, and a local spot when they have time to sit down.

Cook Out’s real edge is choice. With 40-plus milkshake flavors, hushpuppies and slaw as sides, and burgers dressed Carolina style with chili and slaw, it serves food that tastes like the region rather than a national chain. That is why it is so popular in Charlotte even with the city’s growing restaurant scene in South End, NoDa and Plaza Midwood.

Where Can I Find More Cook Out Guides Near Charlotte?

Our guides for nearby cities list every store with directions: Concord, Kannapolis, Gastonia, Monroe and Mooresville are all within an hour of uptown, and the state guides cover all of North and South Carolina.

Planning a longer trip? The Cook Out locations finder lists stores across all 11 states, and our delivery guide explains how to order Cook Out to your door in Charlotte.

Cook Out Charlotte FAQs

Answers to the questions people ask most.