Virginia Tech students have been making a commotion about the recent opening of the fast food restaurant Cook-Out, so I decided to jump on the bandwagon and see where the extreme fascination is coming from.
When I went to check it out, the sea of satisfied customers seemed to mirror the excitement of my peers.
While the overwhelming, favorable social consensus was sure to impact my opinion of the restaurant, my less-than-positive view of fast food restaurants was sure to level the field and provide me with a more balanced perspective.
When I took a look at the menu, my immediate reaction was curiosity and utter confusion. How could a fast food joint serve premium milkshakes, hot dogs, barbecue, quesadillas and cheesecake, while still maintaining quality and integrity?
Despite the vast array of food options, there was no space on the menu for healthy alternatives such as salads or fruit. I was surprised and disappointed — but then again, this fast food restaurant is quite different from others.
Cook-Out seems to have clearly embraced its identity as a southern restaurant, which doesn’t usually involve offering healthier options.
Cook-Out’s uniqueness seems to explain its lack of conformity to the traditional fast food restaurant; after all, its locations are mainly found in North Carolina, allowing it to focus its efforts and specialties based on its target market.
As my friends and I stood dumbfounded in the line looking at the countless options, one of the employees explained the majority of the menu was made available through their trademark meal deal called the “Cook-Out Tray.”
This option allows you to choose your main item, two sides and a drink for less than $5. Now, this meal deal seemed rather ordinary to me until I saw the choices, which in a sense matched the restaurant’s eclectic identity.
While the main items included quesadillas, hot dogs, burgers and barbecue, the side items included fries, hush puppies, chicken nuggets and a quesadilla. That’s right; you can get two quesadillas as your main item, and then get another quesadilla as one of your side items. In theory, you could walk away with four tasty quesadillas and a cold drink to wash it down.
A version of this article appeared in the Jan 25 issue of the Collegiate Times.
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No wonder you didn't like it! You didn't get a shake! That's the best part!
It's worth going back for just a shake if you're in the mood.
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My cheeseburger was fine but the chicken nuggets and hush puppies made my wife sick.
We know a couple of other people who got sick after eating there as well.
We won't be back. It's just kind of meh, and I do like fast food.
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I got sick from the chicken nuggets on Jan.25. I've given the place a few tries and will never go back. I'll take my Wendy's value meal and a chickfila shake any day over this place.
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How can you review Cookout without getting a Shake? Or even a burger? Shame on you. This review should be stricken from the record.
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Get a shake or please show yourself the door
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BBQ wasn't a bad choice. However, when you choose to review a restaurant, it's wise to include their signature item(s). With 40 different shakes on the menu, that should have been a clue. If nothing else, at least get a quote from some other patrons next time.
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BBQ wasn't a bad choice, but skipping out on the shake was. Seriously, it's a signature item. With 40 variations listed on the menu, that should have been a clue. Next time, at least get a quote from some other patrons.
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Reviewing Cookout without having a burger, shake and a bacon wrap is a pointless exercise. Good work Alan Richman you putz
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That Thai restaurant was ok but my chicken nuggets were cold
#collegiatetimesrestaurantreviews
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That Chinese buffet was alright, I mean their fish sticks and pizza left something to be desired though. #CTrestaurantreviews
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No wonder the writer wasn't impressed, he's from Northern Virginia and wouldn't know Southern Cooking if it slapped him in the face. Cookout is pretty good considering the price and fast food and their barbeque tastes like North Carolina barbeque is supposed to, sliglhty spicy and with a hint of vinegar. Also their selection of milkshakes is a reason to go there in itself. Next time you review a restaurant known for being from the south why don't you get somebody who knows what southern cooking is.
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No wonder the writer wasn't impressed, he's from Northern Virginia and wouldn't know Southern Cooking if it slapped him in the face. Cookout is pretty good considering the price and fast food and their barbeque tastes like North Carolina barbeque is supposed to, sliglhty spicy and with a hint of vinegar. Also their selection of milkshakes is a reason to go there in itself. Next time you review a restaurant known for being from the south why don't you get somebody who knows what southern cooking is.
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You aren't allowed to use shake as a pun in the title if you don't drink a shake. Consider your pun privileges revoked, Nick "I don't always eat a burger joint, but when I do I don't get a burger" Smirniotopoulos.
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To be fair, his review would have been even more negative if he HAD gotten a burger. They're terrible.
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Wait, let me get this straight- you went to a southern fast food chain and were disappointed by the lack of healthier choices..?
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No one cares about healthy food at a place like this. Com'on son!!!! Never been, but should be pretty dank. And hell, its under 5 bucks. Catch is getting their after night of drinkkiiinn.
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"main item, two sides and a drink for less than $5"
Wrong. The tray is over $5 if you choose a drink/shake.
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Cheese costs 40 cents and they charge extra for tomato. If you really break it down it costs more than the other fast food joints. And the burger isn't very good. The shakes are just ok. I don't get why people like this place so much. Very average.
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Cheese costs 40 cents and they charge extra for tomato. If you really break it down it costs more than the other fast food joints. And the burger isn't very good. The shakes are just ok. I don't get why people like this place so much. Very average.
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Cheese costs 40 cents and they charge extra for tomato. If you really break it down it costs more than the other fast food joints. And the burger isn't very good. The shakes are just ok. I don't get why people like this place so much. Very average.
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Cheese costs 40 cents and they charge extra for tomato. If you really break it down it costs more than the other fast food joints. And the burger isn't very good. The shakes are just ok. I don't get why people like this place so much. Very average.
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Not good. Fries are good. Burgers bad.
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I vote bleh. This is the chipotle of 2012. People get excited about the dumbest stuff
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I vote bleh. This is the chipotle of 2012. People get excited about the dumbest stuff
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Stop clogging your arteries with jesus burgers and start eating kale. I'm tired of paying high health insurance rates because of your poor taste in sustenance.
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Stop clogging your arteries with jesus burgers and start eating kale. I'm tired of paying high health insurance rates because of your poor taste in sustenance.
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Debating the merits of Cookout??? And we wonder why wahoos make fun of us.
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Followup article is here: http://www.collegiatetimes.com/stories/19125/back-for-more-after-a-lackluster-first-experience-at-cook-out-the-ct-returns-for-a-second-taste
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