Cookout BBQ Menu 2026 with Prices and Calories

Want the taste of Carolina pork BBQ without firing up your grill? Don’t worry. Cookout’s BBQ menu has you covered. They serve tender chopped pork, tangy homemade slaw, and home-style sides that taste just like home, all at prices that leave you smiling.

A fully loaded tray, an old-school Cookout BBQ sandwich, or a complete BBQ plate, whatever you are craving, the Cookout BBQ menu brings backyard flavor straight to your table. Let’s take a mouthwatering tour of the Cookout BBQ menu 2026 and explore all the saucy goodness waiting for you this year.

Whether you call it BBQ, barbecue or barbeque, this guide covers every Cookout BBQ item with its price, calories and the best ways to order it.

Cookout BBQ Menu with Prices

So here is a brief overview of the most popular BBQ on the Cookout menu. Cook Out sells two BBQ items: the BBQ Sandwich and the BBQ Plate. Both are made with chopped pork BBQ and homemade slaw, and you can also get the BBQ Sandwich as the main in a Cookout Tray.

Planning a late-night BBQ run? Check our Cookout Hours page or find your nearest store on our Locations page.

• 

  BBQ Sandwich

  $ 4.99 368 Cal

  Chopped pork BBQ with homemade slaw and Texas Pete

• 

  BBQ Plate

  $ 5.99 976 Cal

  Chopped pork BBQ with homemade slaw, fries and hushpuppies

The BBQ Sandwich, tray and Out West prices are from the Raleigh, NC menu board (October 2026). The BBQ Plate price is the one most often reported, since neither store we checked lists it. The chicken price runs from the online order page for Cook Out’s Orangeburg, SC store (run on DoorDash) to that Raleigh board. Calories are from Cook Out’s official nutrition guide. Prices vary by location.

Cookout BBQ Sandwich vs BBQ Plate

The BBQ Sandwich is the light pick at 368 calories, with 29g of protein. The BBQ Plate is a full meal: the same chopped pork and slaw, plus fries and hushpuppies, for one dollar more. It has more than two and a half times the calories, so it easily feeds a big appetite.

All nutrition facts are from Cook Out’s official nutrition guide. See every item on our Cookout nutrition page.

What Style Is Cookout BBQ?

Cook Out serves North Carolina-style pork barbecue. The pork is chopped, not pulled or sliced, and it comes topped with homemade slaw.

Cook Out has served this BBQ since it opened its first store in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1989. Its Wikipedia page also notes that the chain serves North Carolina-style pork barbecue.

• Meat: chopped pork, not beef brisket, ribs or pulled chicken.
• Topping: homemade slaw on the sandwich and plate, with Texas Pete on the sandwich.
• Sauce: BBQ sauce and Texas Pete hot sauce are basic condiments at Cook Out, and you can ask for extra.

Eastern vs Lexington Style North Carolina BBQ

North Carolina has two famous BBQ styles. Eastern style uses the whole hog with a thin vinegar and pepper sauce. Lexington style, from the Piedmont, uses pork shoulder with a vinegar sauce that adds a little ketchup, and it is often served with red slaw.

Cook Out doesn’t say which style it follows. Its BBQ is chopped pork with its own homemade slaw, so think of it as fast-food North Carolina BBQ rather than a copy of either style.

Full Cookout BBQ Menu And Prices

There is nothing like the Southern taste of barbecue at Cook Out. Here are the items that pair best with BBQ, so you can organize your next juicy bite.

Char-Grilled Burgers

The cookout burgers are smoky, juicy, and perfectly grilled. Pick a size, then add a style. Want BBQ flavor on a burger? The Out West Style adds BBQ sauce and bacon. See every size and style on our Burgers Menu.

Cookout Grilled Chicken Sandwich & Grilled Chicken Breast

So soft, so delicious, and char-grilled to perfection, these chicken sandwiches go with any craving. Barbecue Style is the lightest grilled chicken at 376 calories. Love bold flavor? Read about the Cookout Cajun chicken.

Hot Dogs & BBQ

Whether it is a char-grilled hot dog or chopped pork BBQ, Cook Out satisfies the cravings of comfort food lovers. Here are the savory choices waiting for you, and you can see every style on our Cookout hot dogs guide.

Cookout Trays Are the Best Meal Deal

You can get the best flavor for your money at Cook Out in their famous trays. Each tray is one main, two sides and a drink. See every main, side and drink on our Cookout Tray menu.

Delicious Side Dishes & Vegetarian Options

At Cookout, along with the main BBQ meal, there are delicious sides and easy vegetarian options such as onion rings, hush puppies, and French fries that can take your tray to the next level. See them all on our Sides Menu.

Prices run from the online order page for Cook Out’s Orangeburg, SC store (run on DoorDash) to the Raleigh, NC menu board (October 2026). Calories are from Cook Out’s official nutrition guide, except slaw and the Big Double, which are from its menu board. Burger styles are added to the price and calories of a burger. Prices vary by location.

Cookout BBQ in a Tray

The BBQ Sandwich is one of the full-size mains on the regular Cookout Tray, and Barbecue Style char-grilled chicken is another. Pick your main, add two sides and a drink, and you have a full BBQ meal.

• Mains with BBQ flavor: Regular BBQ Sandwich (368 Cal) or BBQ Char-Grilled Chicken (376 Cal).
• Sides that suit BBQ: hushpuppies, slaw, fries, onion rings or Cajun fries. You can also double up on one side.
• Drinks: a large drink, Huge Sweet Tea, a Cheerwine Float, or swap in any of the 40+ shakes on our milkshake menu.

Cookout BBQ Compared with Other Tray Mains

How does the BBQ Sandwich stack up against the other full-size tray mains? It sits in the middle on calories, and its 29g of protein beats the Regular Chicken (25g) and Spicy Chicken (21g).

Calories use the side-size portions from Cook Out’s official nutrition guide, with slaw from its menu board. Main item calories and protein are from the guide, except the Big Double (330 Cal), which is from Cook Out’s menu board.

How to Order Cookout BBQ

• At the store: order at the drive-thru or the walk-up window. Ask for a “BBQ Sandwich” or “BBQ Plate,” or say “BBQ Tray” and pick your two sides and drink.
• Online: a few stores take orders through their own online order page, run on DoorDash, where you can pay ahead and pick up.
• Delivery: many areas have Cook Out on delivery apps, but prices are higher. See our Cookout delivery guide.
• Make it your way: say “no hot sauce,” “extra slaw” or “extra BBQ sauce” when you order.

Best Sides and Drinks with Cookout BBQ

Southern BBQ calls for Southern sides. These are the pairings fans order most with chopped pork.

Make It Your Own with Customization Options

At Cookout, you don’t just order; you make your own plate. Here are the easy ways to make your BBQ just the way you like it.

Sauce Swap

Like it sweet and smoky? Ask for extra BBQ sauce. Wanna make it hot? The BBQ Sandwich already comes with Texas Pete hot sauce, and you can ask for more, or leave it off if you want it mild. BBQ sauce and hot sauce are basic condiments, so a little extra usually costs nothing, but sauce on the side can cost a little at some stores.

Bun Choices

The BBQ Sandwich comes on a plain bun, and the menus we checked don’t list wheat or other bun options. If you want your pork without a bun, order the BBQ Plate instead.

Double the Meat

If one serving is not enough, the easiest fix is a second sandwich or the bigger BBQ Plate. The menus we checked don’t list an extra-meat price for BBQ, so ask your store if you want more pork on one sandwich.

Sauces and Toppings for Cookout BBQ

These sauces and toppings are on Cook Out’s menu. Topping prices are posted for burgers and chicken, so ask your store before adding one to your BBQ.

Topping prices are from the online order page for Cook Out’s Orangeburg, SC store (run on DoorDash) and the Raleigh, NC menu board (October 2026). Sauce prices for extra or on the side are not posted, so they vary by store. Calories are from Cook Out’s official nutrition guide, with slaw from its menu board.

Cheapest BBQ Meal at Cookout

Cook Out has a diverse BBQ menu that is ideal for lunch, but it doesn’t run a separate lunch special. The BBQ prices are the same all day, so here is how to get the most BBQ for your money.

The BBQ Plate is the best value if you don’t need a drink. Want the cheapest add-on? Hushpuppies start at $0.99, one of the lowest prices on our Cookout value menu.

Prices are from the Raleigh, NC menu board (October 2026), except the BBQ Plate, which is the price most often reported, and hushpuppies, from the online order page for Cook Out’s Orangeburg, SC store (run on DoorDash). Prices vary by location.

Does Cookout Offer BBQ Catering?

Throwing a party or organizing a family gathering? Cook Out doesn’t list a catering menu or catering prices on its menu boards or store order pages, and we couldn’t find an official catering service. Most stores are drive-thru with a walk-up window, so the simple way to feed a group is to order several trays.

For a big order, call your store ahead so they can have it ready. Delivery apps can also bring trays to your party, but they charge more per item.

Totals use the Raleigh, NC menu board prices (October 2026) for the tray and sandwich, and the most often reported price for the plate. Prices vary by location.

Cookout BBQ Nutrition and Calories

Counting calories? Here is how the BBQ choices compare, from the lightest to the heaviest.

• BBQ Sauce (1 serving)29 Cal
• BBQ Sandwich368 Cal
• Barbecue Style Chicken Sandwich376 Cal
• Regular Burger with Out West Style530 Cal
• BBQ Plate976 Cal
• BBQ Tray with hushpuppies, slaw and a Cheerwine Float1,168 Cal

Calories are from Cook Out’s official nutrition guide, with slaw from its menu board. The Out West burger is a Regular Burger (328) plus the Out West Style (+202).

Want to add up your own meal? Use our Cookout calorie calculator.

Watching gluten? The BBQ Sandwich bun is made with wheat, and hushpuppies are usually made with wheat flour too. Cook Out doesn’t publish allergen or fryer details, so check our Allergens Menu and ask your store before you order.

BBQ Items Cook Out Does Not Sell

Many searches for a “cookout BBQ menu” are about backyard cookouts, and some websites mix those recipes into Cook Out’s menu. These items are not on Cook Out’s menu boards or in its official nutrition guide, so you won’t find them at the restaurant.

Not on the Cook Out menu

• Chicken skewers
• Grilled corn on the cob
• S’mores
• Grilled vegetables
• Beef brisket
• Smoked ribs
• Pulled chicken
• Baked beans
• Mac and cheese
• Potato salad
• BBQ Chicken Plate

For BBQ flavor on chicken, order the Barbecue Style char-grilled chicken sandwich. For a meal with sides, the BBQ Plate comes with fries and hushpuppies.

Popular BBQ Styles Across the U.S.

BBQ in the United States is not only a meal but also a culture that varies by region and tradition, and each region makes its own contribution to flavor and style.

• Carolina BBQ: chopped or pulled pork with a vinegar or tomato-based sauce, often topped with slaw. This is the style Cook Out serves.
• Texas BBQ: beef brisket smoked low and slow, usually with a simple salt and pepper rub.
• Kansas City BBQ: many kinds of meat with a thick, sweet tomato sauce.
• Memphis BBQ: pork ribs, served dry with a spice rub or wet with sauce.
• Southern BBQ: a broad name for the pork-loving styles found across the South.

Cook Out sticks to one style, Carolina chopped pork, and does it at fast-food prices.

Why Cookout BBQ Stands Out

Cookout is not simply a convenient stop; it is a staple of the South. Their barbecue hits just the right point of flavorful meat and home-style taste. Whether it is their chopped pork sandwich or the hushpuppies on the side, it all tastes and feels good to the heart.

• Real North Carolina-style chopped pork, served since 1989.
• A full BBQ Plate with two sides for about $6.
• Open late, until 3 AM at most stores, or 4 AM on Friday and Saturday.

Useful Links

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Whether it is a single BBQ sandwich or trays for the whole family, the Cookout BBQ menu has it all with its flavor, flexibility, and low cost. You can enjoy a classic like the BBQ Sandwich or go big with the BBQ Plate and its hushpuppies, and it is all full of Southern goodness.

Hungry yet? Hit up your nearest Cookout and dig into some down-home BBQ today, or see the full Cookout menu to plan the rest of your order.