What to Order – Menu & Pricing

Cook Out’s menu is built on customization and everyday value two qualities that have made it one of Gastonia’s most consistently recommended restaurants among local residents. The Cook Out Tray is the centerpiece a complete meal combining your choice of protein, two sides, and a large drink or milkshake for around $7.99. In a city with a strong working-class identity and a large manufacturing and healthcare workforce, the Tray format delivers a full, satisfying meal at a price point that genuinely makes sense for everyday eating. It’s also one of the most flexible meal formats available at any fast food chain in Gaston County, giving customers the ability to build a different combination every visit without paying more.

The burgers are fresh and char-grilled over an open flame a detail that Gastonia customers consistently mention in reviews as the key differentiator from other fast food options in the area. One Yelp reviewer specifically called out the freshness of the lettuce on the burgers and highlighted the chili dogs as a personal favorite, describing the experience as reminding them of something from a classic roadside stop. The Cajun chicken wrap is a Gastonia specific customer callout that stands out as a unique menu item worth trying described in local reviews as one of Cook Out’s “innovative approaches to traditional fast food.” Beyond the signature items, the full menu includes pulled pork BBQ sandwiches, hot dogs, corn dogs, and quesadillas at both Gastonia locations.

Sides & Additional Items

Cook Out’s sides lineup goes well beyond what most fast food chains along the Gastonia Franklin Blvd corridor offer. Hushpuppies are a perennial favorite lightly fried golden cornmeal rounds that pair especially well with a BBQ sandwich or a chili-loaded burger. The Franklin Blvd location is described as offering “cozy indoor dining with easy interstate access” making it one of the more versatile Cook Out setups in the greater Charlotte area for travelers coming off I-85 who want to sit down briefly rather than eating in their cars. Cajun fries are a popular alternative to the standard fry option and have been mentioned by name in Gastonia-area reviews.

The complete sides list at both Gastonia Cook Out locations includes regular fries, cajun fries, hushpuppies, coleslaw, corn dog, onion rings, and quesadillas. The Union Rd location features outdoor seating and delivery availability, giving it additional flexibility compared to a standard drive thru only Cook Out. Choosing a corn dog or a second sandwich as one of your two tray sides remains the most popular strategy for maximum value at $7.99. All sides can be ordered individually. Both Gastonia locations also offer a kids’ menu a useful feature for families passing through on I-85 or making a weekend food run with children.

Cook Out Milkshakes – Gastonia’s Sweet Spot

Cook Out milkshakes have earned a loyal following at both Gastonia locations, with the peanut butter fudge milkshake standing out as the locally celebrated specialty. It has been called out by name in multiple Gastonia and Gaston County area reviews as a must-try when it’s available on the rotating menu. The full rotating selection of over 40 flavors also includes banana pudding, Oreo mint, strawberry cheesecake, blueberry cheesecake, caramel fudge, peach cobbler, pineapple, chocolate malt, and cookie dough throughout the year. The visual appeal of Cook Out milkshakes thick, creamy, and colorful is specifically highlighted in Gastonia customer reviews as part of what makes the experience worth repeating.

The milkshakes are thick and hand-spun, which differentiates them from the thin machine-dispensed versions at most fast food chains along the I-85 corridor. The most valued feature of the Cook Out Tray format is that a milkshake can replace the large drink at no additional charge a detail that makes the $7.99 meal feel like exceptional value for travelers and locals alike. Standalone milkshakes run around $3.99. For I-85 travelers making a pit stop at the Franklin Blvd location, the milkshake is frequently the item that turns a routine drive-thru stop into a return visit. Always ask the drive-thru staff what flavors are currently available the peanut butter fudge and other popular flavors can sell out on busy nights.

Hours & Availability

Both Gastonia Cook Out locations open at 10:30 AM daily. The East Franklin Blvd location closes at 2:00 AM Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and at 3:30 AM on Fridays and Saturdays. The Union Rd location follows a similar schedule, closing at 2:00 AM on weeknights and 3:30 AM on Fridays. These hours make Cook Out one of the later-closing food options in Gastonia particularly on weekends when most other restaurants along the Franklin Blvd and New Hope Road corridors have already shut down for the night.

For Gastonia’s significant healthcare workforce, Cook Out’s late hours are a practical benefit that matters. CaroMont Regional Medical Center one of Gaston County’s largest employers and the primary acute care hospital serving the western Charlotte metro region runs overnight shifts across multiple departments. Nurses, emergency staff, and hospital support workers finishing late shifts at CaroMont frequently have limited full-meal options available after midnight in Gastonia, and Cook Out on East Franklin Blvd is one of the most accessible stops for those workers heading home along the I-85 corridor. The location’s position directly at I-85 Exit 21 also makes it an exceptionally convenient stop for commuters and long-haul travelers passing through the Gastonia stretch of the interstate at any hour.

Hours above are verified from Yelp and Zmenu for both Gastonia locations. The Franklin Blvd location closes at 3:30 AM on Fridays and Saturdays. The Union Rd location closes at 3:30 AM Fridays and 3:00 AM Saturdays per current listings. Always confirm via Google Maps before a very late visit as hours can change. The Franklin Blvd location at I-85 Exit 21 tends to stay busier through closing due to consistent interstate traffic.

Gastonia Cook Out Locations

Use Google Maps above to find the Cook Out location nearest your home, workplace, or travel route through Gastonia. With 2 locations covering the East Franklin Blvd and Union Road corridors, most Gaston County residents are within 10–15 minutes of a Cook Out. Click “Get Directions” on any location card below for exact driving time from your current location.

Cook Out Locations by Area

Gastonia’s two Cook Out locations are positioned along the city’s primary commercial corridors, covering east Gastonia and the south side of the city. Here is a detailed breakdown of each location and the communities and travel routes each one serves best.

East Franklin Boulevard (East Gastonia / I-85 Exit 21): The location at 2810 E Franklin Blvd is positioned directly off I-85 Exit 21, making it one of the most interstate-accessible Cook Out locations in North Carolina. East Franklin Blvd also known as US-74 Business is Gastonia’s primary east west commercial artery running through the heart of the city toward downtown and the Franklin Square and Eastridge Mall areas. This location has been a Nextdoor Neighborhood Favorite four times (2019, 2020, 2023, 2024) the most Neighborhood Favorite designations of any Cook Out in the Gastonia area reflecting the deep local loyalty it has built. It offers cozy indoor dining alongside the drive thru, a feature that makes it particularly useful for I-85 travelers who want to step inside briefly. Health Score: 98/100. Phone: (704) 869-8824.

Union Road (South Gastonia): The location at 2113 Union Rd serves south Gastonia and the communities along the South New Hope Road and Union Road corridors heading toward Belmont and the Lake Wylie area. This location offers outdoor seating and delivery availability through third party platforms, giving it additional flexibility compared to a standard drive thru only setup. It sits in a dense fast food corridor alongside McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, and Taco Bell but Cook Out’s unique menu, milkshake variety, and Tray value consistently draw customers away from those alternatives. The Union Rd location serves residents in the Brookwood, Lowell, and south Gastonia neighborhoods.

Both Cook Out Gastonia Locations

Cook Out and Gastonia’s Food Scene

Gastonia is Gaston County’s largest city and the economic anchor of a county that has historically been tied to textile manufacturing an industry that shaped the city’s working class identity for generations. While the textile mills that once defined Gastonia have largely transitioned or closed over the past several decades, the city has reinvented itself as a Charlotte area suburb with growing residential development, a revitalized downtown, and a food scene that reflects both its Southern roots and its increasingly diverse population.

Cook Out fits naturally into Gastonia’s food culture. The East Franklin Blvd location’s position at I-85 Exit 21 makes it one of the most strategically placed Cook Out restaurants in the entire Carolinas it sits at the intersection of a major interstate and the city’s primary commercial boulevard, capturing traffic from Gastonia residents, Charlotte commuters, long-haul truckers, and travelers moving between Charlotte and Atlanta on I-85. Late at night, when most of the sit down restaurants and even some fast food chains along Franklin Blvd have closed, Cook Out remains open and consistently busy through its 2:00–3:30 AM closing window.

The Lowell Amphitheater and Gaston County’s growing roster of community events generate periodic late night food demand that both Cook Out locations benefit from throughout the year. CaroMont Regional Medical Center remains the city’s most consistent driver of late night food demand as one of the region’s primary trauma centers and a major employer, it keeps thousands of workers on overnight schedules year round. For those workers, the combination of Cook Out’s price point, food quality, and late hours makes it a reliable default choice in a city where late night options thin out considerably after midnight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cook Out in Nearby North Carolina Cities

Gastonia sits just 25 miles west of Charlotte on I-85, putting it within easy reach of Charlotte’s 13+ Cook Out locations. Shelby and Kings Mountain to the southwest also have Cook Out locations accessible via US-74. For travelers heading west on I-85 toward Gaffney and Spartanburg in South Carolina, Gastonia’s Franklin Blvd location is one of the last convenient Cook Out stops before crossing the state line.

Additional Resources