Cook Out Frankfort KY — Menu, Prices, Hours & US 127 Location (2026)

Is There a Cook Out in Frankfort, KY?

Yes. Frankfort has 1 open Cook Out as of October 2026, according to Cook Out’s store locator: 1234 US Highway 127 S, Frankfort, KY 40601, on the US 127 commercial strip on the west side of the state capital, about a mile north of I-64 Exit 53. It is the only Cook Out in Franklin County. The next-closest store is 855 S Broadway in Lexington, about 22 miles east of downtown Frankfort.

The store sits on the busy stretch of US 127 between the I-64 interchange and the start of the East-West Connector (KY 676), in the same retail corridor as Franklin Square, the shopping center with Kroger and JCPenney. Neighbors along the highway include KFC, Bojangles and Wendy’s, and the Walmart Supercenter and the restaurant row on Leonardwood Drive are just down the road toward the interstate. The Kentucky State Capitol is about 1.8 miles away in a straight line, and Kentucky State University’s campus is about 3 miles to the northeast.

• Address: 1234 US Highway 127 S, Frankfort, KY 40601.
• Closest interstate exit: I-64 Exit 53, then US 127 North for about a mile.
• Typical hours: 10:30 AM to about 3 AM Sunday–Thursday and about 4 AM Friday–Saturday; hours vary by store.
• Tray price: typically about $7.39–$7.99 for an entree, two sides and a drink.
• Next-closest stores: Lexington (about 22 mi), Winchester (about 38 mi), Richmond (about 44 mi) and Mount Sterling (about 51 mi).
• Coming soon: no coming-soon store near Frankfort in Cook Out’s locator as of October 2026.

Searching for the Cook Out Frankfort menu? It is the same menu Cook Out serves everywhere: char-grilled burgers, chicken, barbecue, hot dogs, wraps, quesadillas, trays and more than 40 milkshake flavors. Prices, ordering tips and calories are further down this page. If you live in Lawrenceburg, Shelbyville or the rest of Franklin County, US 127 is your stop too, since none of those towns has a Cook Out of its own.

Where Is the Cook Out in Frankfort, KY?

Need a store in another city? Search every location with our Cook Out store locator.

Frankfort’s single store is listed first, followed by the three nearest Cook Outs to the east: Lexington, Winchester and Richmond. Addresses come from Cook Out’s own store locator (October 2026). Each card has a Google Maps directions button. Distances are approximate straight-line miles from downtown Frankfort, so real drives run a little longer.

How Far Is the Frankfort Cook Out From My Part of Town?

For everyone in Frankfort and Franklin County, the US 127 store is the closest Cook Out; only drivers already east of Versailles or Georgetown are nearer to the Lexington store. The table shows typical routes.

Because it is the only store between Lexington and the Louisville area, the US 127 location pulls drivers from well beyond Franklin County, especially on weekend nights. If you are driving in from Shelbyville, Lawrenceburg or Louisville, check the store’s Google Maps listing before the trip.

How Do I Get to Cook Out From I-64 in Frankfort?

From I-64 in either direction, take Exit 53 and follow US 127 North toward Frankfort; the store is about a mile up the highway, past Franklin Square and before the East-West Connector. Exit 53 is the store’s interchange; Exit 58 (US 60, Versailles Road) is on the east side of town and is better for Kentucky State University than for Cook Out.

Commuting to Lexington or Louisville?

• Lexington commuters: Lexington is about 25 miles east on I-64. Eastbound in the morning or westbound coming home, Exit 53 puts you a mile from a tray, and you skip the in-town traffic on Versailles Road.
• Louisville commuters: Louisville is roughly 50 miles west on I-64. Frankfort is the first open Cook Out you reach driving east from Louisville, so Exit 53 is the natural stop on the way home to Franklin County.
• State workers: from the Capitol complex, KY 420 and the East-West Connector lead west to US 127 without crossing downtown.
• From Lawrenceburg: US 127 north runs straight across I-64 to the store.
• From Shelbyville: I-64 east to Exit 53, then north on US 127.

Road-trip tip: if you are driving I-64 between Louisville and Lexington, Frankfort is the only Cook Out directly off the interstate on that stretch as of October 2026, and the exit has gas stations, a Holiday Inn Express and other services nearby.

Is the Frankfort Cook Out Near KSU, the Capitol or Buffalo Trace?

Kentucky State University is about 3 miles northeast of the store and the Kentucky State Capitol about 1.8 miles away, both reached by taking the East-West Connector (KY 676) east from US 127; Buffalo Trace Distillery is about 5 miles north by road.

KSU students without a car should know that Cook Out is built around the drive-thru and walk-up window rather than an indoor dining room, so plan on a ride or a delivery app. Bourbon Trail visitors heading back to I-64 from Buffalo Trace pass right by the store on US 127, which makes it an easy, cheap dinner stop after a tour, with a designated driver at the wheel.

How Long Has Cook Out Been in Frankfort?

Kentucky has 12 open Cook Outs as of October 2026, and Frankfort’s US 127 store is the westernmost of the central Kentucky group, which is why a 2024 Louisville Courier Journal report named it the closest Cook Out to Louisville.

We have not found a reliable published opening date for the Frankfort store, so this guide does not give one. The rest of the Kentucky lineup is Lexington, Winchester, Richmond, Mount Sterling, Morehead, Campbellsville, Columbia, Somerset, Williamsburg, Bowling Green and Murray. For the full state picture, see our Cook Out Kentucky guide.

What Time Does Cook Out Close in Frankfort?

Most Cook Out stores open at 10:30 AM and close around 3 AM Sunday through Thursday and around 4 AM on Friday and Saturday, and the Frankfort store generally follows that pattern. Hours vary by store and can change on holidays, so check the store’s Google Maps listing before a late drive.

These are chain-wide typical hours, not a posted schedule for the Frankfort store. Thanksgiving, Christmas and other holidays often bring shorter hours or a closure, and staffing can occasionally close a window early.

For holiday patterns and drive-thru-only nights, see our guide to what time Cook Out closes, and for more ideas after midnight, our Cook Out late-night food guide.

Late-night tip: Frankfort has no backup store. If the US 127 window closes early, the next Cook Out is in Lexington, about half an hour east on I-64, so a quick look at the listing before you leave Shelbyville, Lawrenceburg or the far side of Franklin County can save a wasted trip.

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

The Cook Out Frankfort menu is the chain’s standard lineup of char-grilled burgers, chicken, barbecue, hot dogs, wraps, sides and 40-plus milkshakes, and 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. Exact prices vary by store and change over time, so treat these as typical figures rather than a posted price list.

Calories for popular picks

Calorie figures below come from Cook Out’s published nutrition sheet. They are per item, so add your entree, two sides and drink together for a tray total.

Ordering tips for US 127: the line moves 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 KSU dorm floor after a Thorobreds game or an office crew from the Capitol? Several trays usually cost less than combo meals at the other chains along the highway.

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

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

Cook Out’s edge in Frankfort is a full tray with two sides for under $8 and a drive-thru that usually runs until 3 or 4 AM, on a highway strip where most other restaurants are standard chains.

The US 127 corridor between I-64 and the East-West Connector is Frankfort’s fast-food row. Within about a mile of Exit 53 you will find KFC, Bojangles, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Steak ‘n Shake, Frisch’s Big Boy, Fazoli’s, Subway, Wings and Rings, Chili’s, Panera Bread and Starbucks. Cook Out stands out on variety, with burgers, chopped pork barbecue, chicken, hot dogs and quesadillas on one menu, and on dessert, with more than 40 milkshake flavors. For a sit-down meal or a taste of Frankfort itself, downtown’s local restaurants and Rebecca Ruth’s bourbon balls are better bets.

For a Big Double, hush puppies and a banana pudding shake at 1 AM after a late session at the Capitol, a KSU game or the drive home from Louisville, US 127 is the place.

Where Are the Other Cook Out Guides Near Frankfort?

The closest Cook Out guide to Frankfort is Lexington, about 22 miles east on I-64; the statewide Kentucky guide covers all 12 stores, including Winchester, Richmond and Mount Sterling.

Heading east on I-64? After Frankfort, the next Cook Outs are Lexington, then Winchester at 100 Hospital Dr and Mount Sterling at 706 Northview Dr. Heading south on I-75 from Lexington, Richmond’s store is at 120 Eastern Bypass. Westbound toward Louisville, there is no open Cook Out on I-64 beyond Frankfort as of October 2026.

Cook Out Frankfort FAQs

Answers to the questions people ask most.