Cook Out Hot Dogs — Styles, Toppings, Calories & Trays (2026)

What Hot Dogs Does Cook Out Sell?

Cook Out sells char-grilled hot dogs in several styles: a plain hot dog, the Cook Out Style hot dog (chili, slaw, mustard and onions), the Mexi hot dog, the Bacon Cheddar hot dog and the Mustard Relish hot dog, plus a corn dog and a Two Hot Dog Tray. On Cook Out’s official nutrition PDF a plain hot dog is 260 calories and the Cook Out Style hot dog is 383 calories.

Hot dogs are part of Cook Out’s core lineup alongside burgers, chicken sandwiches and barbecue at the chain Morris Reaves founded in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1989. Menu listings for the chain group them under a “Char-Grilled Hot Dogs” heading, the same char-grilled approach Cook Out uses for its burgers and chicken breast. Today the company is headquartered in Thomasville, North Carolina, and the hot dogs are available at the roughly 370 stores in 11 states on Cook Out’s store locator in October 2026.

The hot dog menu matters at Cook Out for two reasons. First, the Cook Out Style dog is the chain’s take on the chili-slaw-onion dog that is a fixture of North and South Carolina diners and drive-ins. Second, hot dogs plug straight into the Cookout Tray, either as a two-dog entree or, for the corn dog, as one of the two sides. A tray (entree, two sides and a drink) runs about $7.39 to $7.99 at most stores.

• Plain hot dog: 260 calories, 8 g protein, 600 mg sodium (81 g).
• Cook Out Style: 383 calories, 11 g protein, 1,118 mg sodium (176 g).
• Mexi: 385 calories, 12 g protein, 1,352 mg sodium (207.8 g).
• Bacon Cheddar: 523 calories, 19 g protein, 1,494 mg sodium (131 g).
• Mustard Relish: 394 calories, 11 g protein, 1,021 mg sodium (102 g).
• Corn dog: 220 calories, 5 g protein, 440 mg sodium (76 g).

Hours vary by store, but most locations open around 10:30 AM and stay open until about 3 AM Sunday through Thursday and 4 AM on Friday and Saturday, which makes a chili dog one of the most reliable late-night orders in the Southeast. Check the Cook Out hours guide before a late run.

What Toppings Come on Each Cook Out Hot Dog?

A Cook Out Style hot dog comes with homemade chili, homemade slaw, mustard and onions; a Mexi dog has chili, cheese, Texas Pete hot sauce, lettuce and tomato; and a Bacon Cheddar dog has cheddar cheese and bacon. Every style starts with the same char-grilled hot dog in a bun.

Toppings come from Cook Out’s menu listings on SinglePlatform and Allmenus; calories come from the Cook Out official nutrition PDF. Store menus can differ slightly, so if a detail like ketchup on a plain dog matters, say so at the speaker.

Other ways to dress a dog

Older Cook Out menu listings also show simple build-ups such as a hot dog with chili and a hot dog with cheddar cheese, and one listing shows a foot-long hot dog. Those versions are not on the current nutrition PDF, and availability varies by store, so treat them as “ask your store” items rather than guaranteed menu choices. Because the styles share toppings with Cook Out’s burgers, many customers simply ask for a dog “with chili and cheese” or “no slaw”; most stores will build it if the toppings are on the line.

• Cook Out Style vs Mexi: nearly identical calories (383 vs 385), but the Mexi trades slaw, mustard and onions for cheese, hot sauce, lettuce and tomato, and carries 234 mg more sodium.
• Bacon Cheddar: the heaviest dog at 523 calories, but also the most protein at 19 g.
• Mustard Relish: no chili at all, yet 394 calories on the sheet because its published carbohydrate (50 g) is the highest of any dog.

Off-menu tweaks people trade online, like stacking styles, are covered in the Cook Out secret menu guide.

How Many Calories Are in a Cook Out Hot Dog?

A plain Cook Out hot dog has 260 calories, and the dressed styles run from 383 calories (Cook Out Style) to 523 calories (Bacon Cheddar), according to the Cook Out official nutrition PDF. The corn dog is 220 calories and the two-dog tray entree is 520 calories.

*Cook Out does not list the two-dog tray entree as its own line; this row is calculated as two plain hot dogs (2 × 260 calories, 2 × 600 mg sodium, and so on). If you order the two dogs Cook Out Style, add the topping difference for each dog as shown in the next section. All other rows are as published. Trans fat is 0 g for every item, and fiber is 0 to 1 g.

Two numbers on the sheet look unusual: the Bacon Cheddar dog (47 g carbs) and the Mustard Relish dog (50 g carbs) carry roughly twice the carbohydrate of the plain dog (22 g) even though cheese, bacon, mustard and relish add little starch. We report them exactly as Cook Out publishes them; they may reflect a different bun or portion, so treat the carb figures for those two with some caution.

How much of your day is a hot dog?

Measured against the 2,300 mg FDA Daily Value for sodium, a plain dog is 26% of a day, a Cook Out Style dog 49%, a Mexi 59% and a Bacon Cheddar 65%. Sodium, not calories, is the number to watch with hot dogs. For the rest of the menu, see the Cook Out nutrition guide or the Cook Out calories guide.

How Many Calories Do Cook Out Hot Dog Toppings Add?

Going from a plain hot dog to Cook Out Style adds 123 calories and 518 mg of sodium, exactly the same as Cook Out Style toppings on a burger. The Bacon Cheddar upgrade adds the most, at 263 calories.

Subtracting the plain hot dog (260 calories, 8 g protein, 600 mg sodium) from each style on the official sheet shows what the toppings themselves cost you:

The Cook Out Style difference (123 calories, 3 g protein, 518 mg sodium) matches Cook Out’s separate listing for Cook Out Style toppings on burgers to the calorie and milligram, which suggests the same chili, slaw, mustard and onion portion goes on both. That is handy: if you know your Cook Out Style burger, you know your Cook Out Style dog.

• Best value topping: Bacon Cheddar more than doubles the protein of a plain dog (19 g vs 8 g), giving it 3.6 g of protein per 100 calories, the best ratio of any Cook Out hot dog.
• Saltiest upgrade per calorie: Mexi adds 752 mg of sodium for 125 calories, mostly from chili, cheese and hot sauce.
• Lightest per gram: the Mexi (1.85 calories per gram) and Cook Out Style (2.18) are the least calorie-dense dogs, because lettuce, tomato and slaw add weight and moisture.

Ordering two Cook Out Style dogs on a tray? Add 123 calories per dog to the 520-calorie two-dog entree: 766 calories, 22 g protein and 2,236 mg of sodium for the pair before sides and drink.

What Is a Cook Out Cheese Dog?

A Cook Out Cheese Dog has no hot dog in it: menu listings describe it as a bun with cheese (and, in older listings, chili, slaw and onions), and Cook Out’s nutrition PDF puts it at 146 calories. If you want a hot dog with cheese, ask for a hot dog with cheese or a Mexi instead.

This is the single most confusing item on the hot dog board. Older Cook Out menu listings on SinglePlatform and Allmenus describe the Cheese Dog as “no hot dog” and a bun with cheese, chili, slaw and onion. The nutrition PDF’s figures (66 g, 146 calories, 3 g fat, 3 g protein, 25 g carbs) are low for a bun carrying chili, slaw and cheese, so the published numbers may reflect the bun and cheese only. We cannot confirm exactly which toppings the 146-calorie figure covers, so if you are counting, assume the real item could be higher.

• Why order it: it is the cheapest, lightest way to get Cook Out’s chili-and-slaw flavor without the meat, and it has historically been priced like a basic dog.
• Vegetarian? Not reliably. Cook Out does not label its chili vegetarian, and Carolina hot dog chili is traditionally made with ground beef, so treat a Cheese Dog with chili as not vegetarian. Ask for it without chili if that matters, and check the vegan menu guide.
• If you wanted a cheese hot dog: say “hot dog with cheese,” or order the Mexi (chili, cheese, Texas Pete, lettuce, tomato) or the Bacon Cheddar.

Availability varies by store, and some menu boards may not show the Cheese Dog at all, so ask at the window.

Can You Get a Corn Dog as a Cook Out Tray Side?

Yes. A corn dog counts as one of the two sides in a Cookout Tray at most stores, and on its own it has 220 calories, 5 g protein and 440 mg of sodium. Ordering a corn dog as a side is one of Cook Out’s best-known quirks.

Most fast-food chains treat a corn dog as a kids’ entree. At Cook Out it sits on the side list next to fries, onion rings and hushpuppies, so a tray can carry a burger or chicken sandwich plus a corn dog plus another side. Consumer writer Clark Howard’s site singled out the corn dog side when it named Cook Out a top fast-food deal, and a Mobile, Alabama, restaurant review in Lagniappe describes ordering a corn dog as a tray side with a Two Hot Dog Tray. Menu listings say it comes with French’s mustard or Heinz ketchup.

The corn dog lands in the middle of the side list: heavier than onion rings or nuggets, lighter than hushpuppies or regular fries, and lower in sodium than the side of chili. Clark Howard’s 2017 write-up also noted that a side of two corn dogs was an option; check your store, since side rules vary. For every side choice, see the sides menu, plus our guides to onion rings, hush puppies and fries.

How Do You Order Hot Dogs at Cook Out?

Order a Two Hot Dog Tray and name the style for each dog, or order dogs individually off the menu board; for a cheap add-on, pick a corn dog as a tray side. Say the style out loud, because “hot dog” alone usually gets you a basic dog.

What do Cook Out hot dogs cost?

Cook Out does not publish a chain-wide price list, and stores set prices locally. Older third-party menu listings showed single dogs from about $0.99 for a plain dog to about $1.95 for a Bacon Cheddar dog, but those listings are years old and well below today’s prices. Use them only to see the price ladder (plain lowest, Cook Out Style and Mexi in the middle, Bacon Cheddar highest) and trust your store’s board for the actual number, plus tax.

Tips for better hot dogs

• Eat Cook Out Style dogs first. Chili and slaw soak the bun on a long drive; fries and corn dogs travel better.
• Ask for slaw on the side if you are taking food home, then add it when you eat.
• Watch delivery distance. Dressed dogs suffer on long rides; see the Cook Out delivery guide.
• Pick the drink last. A regular sweet tea adds 236 calories; unsweet tea, Diet Coke and Coke Zero Sugar add none. See the drinks menu.

The Cook Out tray menu walks through every tray entree if you want to compare the hot dog tray with burgers, chicken or barbecue.

What Are the Best Cook Out Trays With Hot Dogs?

The lightest hot dog tray in this set is a plain hot dog with onion rings, nuggets and unsweet tea at 532 calories; the heaviest is a Two Hot Dog Tray with fries, a corn dog and sweet tea at 1,323 calories. Every total adds Cook Out’s official figures for each item.

Hot dog figures are as listed on Cook Out’s nutrition sheet; the two-dog entree is calculated as two plain dogs, so add 123 calories and 518 mg of sodium per dog if you order them Cook Out Style. Drinks are regular fountain sizes. Fries are the regular-size portion; side portions are the tray-side figures where Cook Out publishes them.

What the math shows:

• Sodium is the real limit. Four of the six trays reach 2,190 mg or more, close to or above the 2,300 mg Daily Value. The Mexi tray is under 700 calories yet reaches 2,557 mg, because the Mexi dog (1,352 mg) and side of chili (917 mg) are both salty.
• Nuggets fix the protein gap. Hot dogs are low in protein, so a nugget side (10 g) lifts the light tray to 21 g.
• The drink swings 236 calories. Swapping the sweet tea in the all-dog tray for unsweet tea drops it from 1,323 to 1,087 calories.
• Two Cook Out Style dogs with onion rings, nuggets and unsweet tea come to 1,038 calories (766 + 128 + 144 + 0).

Build your own version in the Cook Out calorie calculator, which works the same way: one entree, two sides and a drink.

Is a Cook Out Hot Dog Healthier Than a Burger or Chicken?

A plain Cook Out hot dog has fewer calories than a regular hamburger (260 vs 328) but far less protein (8 g vs 22 g) and nearly twice the sodium (600 mg vs 340 mg). Per calorie, burgers and grilled chicken are the better protein buys.

The Big Double Cook Out Style row adds Cook Out’s published Cook Out Style toppings (123 calories, 3 g protein, 518 mg sodium) to the Big Double (311 calories). All other rows are single items as published on the Cook Out official nutrition PDF.

• Hot dog vs Big Double, both Cook Out Style: 383 vs 434 calories, but 11 g vs 23 g of protein and 1,118 mg vs 852 mg of sodium. The burger costs 51 more calories and delivers twice the protein with less salt.
• Two hot dogs vs chicken strips: the two-dog entree (520 calories, 1,200 mg sodium) is lighter than three strips (660 calories, 2,130 mg sodium), but the strips have more than twice the protein (36 g vs 16 g).
• Hot dog vs nuggets: similar calories (260 vs 240), but a full order of nuggets has double the protein (16 g vs 8 g) with less sodium.

Hot dogs win on one thing: they are the smallest entree on the menu, so a single dog is the easiest way to keep a tray’s calories down. For more chain-level comparisons, see Cook Out vs McDonald’s and the chicken nuggets guide.

Is a Cook Out Style Hot Dog the Same as a Carolina-Style Hot Dog?

Yes, essentially: Carolina style means a hot dog topped with chili, slaw and onions, often with mustard too, and Cook Out Style uses exactly that combination. It is the regional standard Cook Out carried from Greensboro across the Southeast.

Carolina style is a set of hot dog and hamburger toppings that took hold in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of North and South Carolina. The classic trio is chili, coleslaw and onions; in some places mustard replaces the slaw or is added as a fourth topping. Cook Out Style takes the four-topping version: chili, slaw, mustard and onions, all on one dog.

Two details make Cook Out’s version distinctive:

• Homemade chili and slaw. Menu listings describe both as homemade. The chili is a hot dog chili rather than a bean chili; a Lagniappe reviewer in Mobile noted Cook Out’s side of chili is “the hot dog variety, sans beans.”
• One style across the menu. The same Cook Out Style toppings go on burgers and chicken, and the nutrition math shows the hot dog topping portion matches the burger topping portion exactly (123 calories).

That is why Cook Out stores in Georgia, Tennessee, Florida or Mississippi serve a Carolina slaw dog even where the local hot dog tradition is different. If you are a Carolina native, Cook Out Style is the order that tastes like home; if you are new to it, the cool, sweet slaw against warm chili is the point. Our Cook Out North Carolina guide lists stores in the state where the style was born, and the locations finder covers the rest.

Are Cook Out Hot Dogs Low-Carb, Gluten-Free or Pork-Free?

Cook Out hot dogs come on a wheat bun and the corn dog is battered, so none are gluten-free as served, and Cook Out does not publish the meat blend of its hot dogs on its nutrition sheet. A plain dog has 22 g of carbohydrate, most of it from the bun.

• Low-carb and keto: the plain dog’s 22 g of carbs and 3 g of sugar are mostly bun. Asking for a dog without the bun may be possible at some stores, but Cook Out does not publish a bunless figure, so we cannot give one.
• Gluten and wheat: buns and corn dog batter contain wheat. Anyone with celiac disease or a wheat allergy should talk to the manager and read our Cook Out allergen guide.
• Pork, beef and religious diets: Cook Out’s nutrition sheet does not state what meat its hot dogs are made from. If you avoid pork or need halal or kosher food, ask your store rather than assuming.
• Vegetarian: hot dogs are not vegetarian, and Cook Out’s chili should be treated as a meat chili. The Cheese Dog contains no hot dog, but order it without chili if you avoid meat.
• Sodium: every dressed dog has 1,021 to 1,494 mg of sodium, 44% to 65% of the Daily Value in one item.
• Kids: a corn dog (220 calories) or plain dog (260) is a natural kid-size meal; a Jr. Tray from about $5.29 adds a side and drink.

Cholesterol is modest on the dogs themselves, from 25 mg for a plain dog to 49 mg for Bacon Cheddar, well under the burgers and nuggets.

Where Can You Find More Cook Out Menu and Nutrition Guides?

Start with the calorie calculator to total a hot dog tray, then use the tray, burger and sides guides for the rest of the menu. These pages cover the items most often ordered with hot dogs.

Want the full menu in one place? Visit the Cook Out menu home page.

Cook Out Hot Dogs FAQs

Answers to the questions people ask most.