This Southern fast-food chain has a secret weapon that makes it better than the rest
Kate Taylor
Milkshake fanatics, it’s time to begin planning your pilgrimage down South.
While there are plenty of famous milkshakes in the world of fast-food, none are closer to my heart than those made at the regional restaurant chain Cook Out. With 140 locations in the southern US, the chain has a cult following in states like North and South Carolina, but remains foreign to the rest of the country.
While Business Insider’s own Travis Lyles recently wrote up a guided tour of a Newport News, Virginia location, I wanted to more fully explore my personal favorite Cook Out item: the milkshake.
So, while in Durham, North Carolina for Christmas, I decided it was time to shine the spotlight on the best chain restaurant milkshakes you can find.
I decided to visit the newest of the four Cook Out locations in Durham, eschewing my go-to drive thru for a sit-down spot.
College sports gear serves as decoration at Cook Out, adding to the local vibe — though, I admit as a Duke fan, I didn't love the over-representation of the University of North Carolina.
The food at Cook Out is a great value. Few other chains allow as many options or this much food for less than $5. As value combo deals promise to be a hot topic in 2016, with new menus like McDonald's McPick 2, most chains could learn a few lessons from Cook Out.
However, when it comes to the menu, the real gem is the extensive milkshake list. With more than 40 flavors that can be combined at customers' whims, the options seem endless. Plus, with choices like pineapple, Hi-C punch, and walnut, these aren't flavors you can get anywhere else.
Beyond milkshakes, Cook Out also stands out with another drink you can't find at most fast-food chains: Cheerwine, a sweet, cherry cola that calls itself the "Nectar of North Carolina." Cook Out also sells Cheerwine floats, but I decided to sip on the classic as I waited for my food and shakes.
I ordered the chicken strips, with sides of onion rings and hushpuppies. The chicken strips were basic, but good.
However, if I'm highlighting what makes Cook Out special, it isn't the chicken. Instead, it's the hushpuppies, onion rings, and shakes. Both the onion rings and hushpuppies have the addictive quality that the best fried, greasy fast food achieves. Even when stuffed, I couldn't stop eating just one more.
However, in my personal opinion, the real reason you come to Cook Out is the shakes. I ordered banana pudding, while my friend ordered Oreo Snickers. Both cost $2.79.
Even before you take your first sip (or spoonful — Cook Out shakes tend to be too thick to immediately slurp through a straw), you can tell a Cook Out shake by the branding. All cups, as well as some napkins and bags, contain Bible verses.
The most important part of Cook Out's milkshake recipe is its commitment to chunky add-ins. While I have had Cook Out's plain vanilla shake, and it is thick and delicious, the milkshake shines with the scoops of mix-ins, such as the Oreo and Snickers in this photo.
My banana pudding shake was full of Nilla Wafer chunks — bite sized and not yet too mushy to enjoy. Sadly, my favorite flavor, watermelon, was not available, as it is a summer-only option. Cook Out's watermelon milkshake is one of the few sweet treats that actually tastes like the fruit, with real chunks of melon mixed in.
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