What to Order – Menu & Pricing

Cook Out’s menu is built around customization and genuine value qualities that Florence locals consistently describe as the primary reasons they return. 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. Florence reviewers specifically call out the combination of affordability and portion size “big meals without a big bill” as what sets Cook Out apart from other fast food options along the S Irby Street and W Lucas Street corridors. In a mid sized Pee Dee region city where restaurant options are more limited than in Columbia or Charlotte, Cook Out’s variety and value make it a reliable anchor in the local dining landscape.

The burgers are described in Florence sources as “fresh, never frozen” and cooked “outdoors style” the char grilled open flame method that gives Cookout Florence South Carolina its distinctive smoky flavor. The BBQ sandwich is highlighted across multiple Florence review sources as one of the most celebrated specific items described as part of the “best char grilled hamburgers, chicken breast, and pulled pork BBQ” in the city. The cookout style hot dog loaded with chili, slaw, mustard, and onions is called out specifically as “quite popular among customers” in Florence listings. Cajun seasoned fries are highlighted as a customer favorite alongside the standard fry. The full menu includes Cook Out Style and Cheddar Style burgers, cajun chicken sandwiches, BBQ sandwiches, hot dogs in multiple styles, corn dogs, and quesadillas at both Florence locations.

Sides & Additional Items

Cook Out’s sides menu at both Florence locations offers more variety than most quick service chains along the South Irby Street and West Lucas Street corridors. Cajun fries are the most celebrated specific side in Florence sources described as “the perfect side dish for your Cook Out trays” and something customers “love with a sprinkle of cajun seasoning.” Hushpuppies are a natural fit in the Pee Dee region’s food culture, where they are a deeply embedded side dish at fish camps, BBQ joints, and traditional Southern restaurants throughout Florence, Marion, Dillon, and Darlington counties. They pair especially well with the BBQ sandwich or a chili loaded burger and are a distinctive side you won’t find at most competing fast food chains along either Florence corridor.

The complete sides list at both Florence Cook Out locations includes regular fries, cajun fries, hushpuppies, coleslaw, corn dog, onion rings, and quesadillas. Both Florence locations are fully wheelchair accessible with wheelchair friendly parking, entrance, restroom, and seating noted across multiple listing sources making them among the more accessible Cook Out restaurants in South Carolina. The S Irby St location offers delivery and takeout alongside its drive thru, giving it additional flexibility for Francis Marion University students who may be ordering from campus or off campus housing. All items can be ordered individually. Choosing a corn dog or a second sandwich as one of the two tray sides remains the most popular volume maximizing strategy at $7.99 across both Florence locations.

Cook Out Milkshakes – Florence’s Late Night Sweet Staple

Cook Out milkshakes are described across Florence listing sources as “popular due to their 40+ flavours” and as part of what makes Cook Out a compelling choice over other fast food options in the city. The creamery section of the Cook Out menu which includes milkshakes as the flagship item is specifically highlighted in the Florence Cookout menu guide as something that “doesn’t stop at the savories.” In a Pee Dee region city where late night dessert options are limited, Cook Out’s rotating selection of over 40 thick, hand spun milkshake flavors provides a consistently satisfying sweet option that stands out from the standard fast food shake lineup. Florence customers regularly return for banana pudding, Oreo mint, strawberry cheesecake, blueberry cheesecake, caramel fudge, peach cobbler, pineapple, chocolate malt, and cookie dough throughout the year.

The milkshakes at both Florence locations are thick and hand spun a genuine quality difference from the thin, machine processed shakes at competing chains along the I-95 corridor through Florence. For I-95 travelers stopping at the Florence interchange, the milkshake is often the menu item that turns a routine fuel and food stop into a memorable experience and for drivers making the long run between the Northeast and Florida, discovering Cook Out in Florence can be a welcome surprise. The Cook Out Tray’s best known feature is that a milkshake can replace the large drink at no additional charge, making the $7.99 meal outstanding value. Standalone milkshakes are around $3.99. Always ask the drive thru staff at either Florence location for the current flavor list popular flavors can sell out during busy late night periods.

Hours & Availability

The S Irby St location opens at 10:30 AM and closes at 3:00 AM Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and at 4:00 AM on Fridays and Saturdays confirmed from Yelp (January 2025). The W Lucas St location has more complex hours per Yelp: it closes at 2:00 AM and then reopens at 10:30 AM on weekdays, with extended hours on weekends. The S Irby St location is tagged on Yelp as both “24 Hour Food” and “Late Night Food” indicating it is one of the most consistently late operating food options in all of Florence County. In a Pee Dee region city where I-95 traffic flows through at all hours of the day and night, having a full menu food option open until 3:00–4:00 AM serves a genuine and consistent need that most Florence restaurants cannot meet.

McLeod Health Florence’s largest hospital system and MUSC Health Florence operate around the clock and employ thousands of healthcare workers across overnight shifts. For nurses, emergency staff, and support workers finishing late at McLeod Regional Medical Center, Cook Out on S Irby Street is one of the most accessible late night full meal options in the city. Francis Marion University students particularly those living off campus represent another consistent late night customer base during the academic year. And for the enormous volume of I-95 travelers passing through Florence at all hours the interstate runs directly through Florence County, making it a natural waypoint between the Northeast and Florida Cook Out’s late hours provide a reliable and well known food option that many regular I-95 drivers have built into their travel routines.

Both locations open at 10:30 AM daily. Hours above are confirmed from Yelp for the S Irby St location and aggregated sources for W Lucas St. Always verify the specific location’s current hours via Google Maps before a very late visit, particularly on holidays when hours may shift. The S Irby St location’s “24 Hour Food” Yelp tag should be verified directly before relying on it for extremely late or early morning visits.

Cookout Florence South Carolina Locations

Use Google Maps above to find the Cook Out location nearest your home, hotel, campus, or I-95 exit in Florence. With 2 locations covering the S Irby St and W Lucas St corridors, most Florence and Florence County residents and I-95 travelers stopping at the Florence interchange are within 10–15 minutes of a Cook Out. Click “Get Directions” on any location card below for exact driving time from your current position.

Cook Out Locations by Area

Florence’s two Cook Out locations serve the city’s primary south and west commercial corridors, covering the main travel routes through the Pee Dee region hub. Here is a breakdown of each location.

South Irby Street (South Florence): The location at 2007 S Irby St is Florence’s primary Cook Out and carries a perfect Health Score of 100/100 from the Florence County health department. South Irby Street is one of Florence’s main commercial corridors, running south through the city toward the I-95 interchange and connecting the downtown area to the major retail and commercial zones in south Florence. This location is described as “loved by both locals and visitors” with fast, efficient service and “a welcoming atmosphere.” It offers delivery, takeout, and drive thru, and is tagged as both “24 Hour Food” and “Late Night Food” on Yelp. Phone: (843) 662-3940. This is the recommended primary location for I-95 travelers stopping in Florence.

West Lucas Street (North/West Florence): The location at 2112 W Lucas St serves the north and west sides of Florence and is particularly convenient for highway travelers approaching Florence from the west on I-20 and US-76. The Yelp listing shows 28 photos and describes this location as “often used by shoppers and highway travelers.” It is fully wheelchair accessible with compliant parking, entrance, restroom, and seating. The W Lucas St location serves the communities around the Magnolia Mall area and the western residential neighborhoods of Florence that connect to the I-20 West corridor toward Sumter and Columbia.

Both Cook Out Florence Locations

Cook Out and Florence’s Food Scene

Florence is South Carolina’s Pee Dee region hub the largest city in a largely rural stretch of eastern South Carolina that spans Florence, Marion, Darlington, Dillon, Marlboro, and Chesterfield counties. The city’s economy is anchored by healthcare (McLeod Health and MUSC Health Florence), manufacturing, retail, and its critical position at the I-95 and I-20 interchange one of the most important highway junctions on the East Coast. The junction of these two major interstates makes Florence a natural stopping point for travelers moving in multiple directions: northbound and southbound on I-95 between New England and Florida, and east west on I-20 between Columbia and the Atlantic coast.

Florence’s food scene reflects its role as a regional hub rather than a tourist destination it is primarily oriented toward the practical needs of a working city and a broad rural catchment area, rather than toward the visitor economy that drives dining in Myrtle Beach or the culinary sophistication that defines Greenville. Cook Out fits naturally into that context. It is one of the most consistent and reliable late night food options in a city where the alternative choices after midnight are limited, and it serves the specific practical needs of Florence’s healthcare workforce, student population, overnight I-95 travelers, and the Pee Dee region residents who travel into Florence from surrounding counties for shopping and services.

Francis Marion University a public university located just outside Florence that serves approximately 4,000 students from primarily the Pee Dee region adds a consistent college student customer base to both Florence Cook Out locations. FMU students, many of whom are first generation college students from Florence and surrounding Pee Dee counties, have access to an affordable off campus food option that fits their budgets and Cook Out’s late hours align well with the late night schedule that college students tend to keep during the academic year. Florence Darlington Technical College also adds to the city’s student population with an additional campus in downtown Florence. Darlington Raceway home of the Southern 500 NASCAR race, located just 10 miles from Florence draws race fans to the area multiple times per year, generating periodic late-night food demand at both Cookout Florence South Carolina locations during race weekends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cook Out in Nearby South Carolina Cities

Florence is centrally positioned within South Carolina’s Cook Out network. Myrtle Beach is 75 miles east on US-501. Columbia is 80 miles west on I-20. The chain’s I-95 presence along the East Coast makes Cook Out accessible along the full length of the interstate through South Carolina, with locations accessible from multiple interchange points between the North Carolina and Georgia state lines.

Additional Resources