Cook Out vs Checkers: Which Double Drive-Thru Fits Your Order?

This site is an unofficial fan guide and is not affiliated with Cook Out or Checkers. Prices, hours and menus vary by store, so check the board at your location. For the full Cook Out line-up, open our Cook Out menu.

Cook Out vs Checkers at a glance

History: two drive-thru pioneers

Checkers opened in Mobile, Alabama, in 1986, founded by Jim Mattei. Its look, with checkerboard tiles, chrome and red neon, and its two drive-thru lanes made it stand out. Rally's had started a year earlier in Nashville, and the two companies merged in 1999. Today the menus are effectively the same; the name on the sign depends on the region. You can read the background on Wikipedia's Checkers and Rally's page.

Cook Out opened in Greensboro in 1989 and has stayed a private, family-run company. It grew from a single drive-thru to hundreds of stores across the Southeast without franchising. Our Cook Out history covers that story in detail.

How you order: two lanes, a window, no dining room

Both chains are built for speed. Most stores have two drive-thru lanes, one on each side of the building, plus a walk-up window. Neither usually has indoor seating; a few legacy Rally's stores in the Midwest still have dining rooms. In practice this means:

• you order from a speaker or at the walk-up window,
• you eat in your car, at a picnic table if the store has one, or at home,
• lines move fast but can back up at peak times, especially late at night at Cook Out.

If you are new to Cook Out, our guide to how to order at Cook Out explains trays and styles before you reach the speaker.

Burgers: chargrilled vs bold and seasoned

Cook Out cooks its burgers on a chargrill and lets you choose a "style", a set combination of toppings such as Cook Out Style, Cheddar Style or Out West Style. You can also pick a size, from a regular burger to the Big Double and the half-pound Huge burger. The burger styles guide lists every option.

Checkers leans on bold, stacked burgers. The Big Buford, two patties with cheese, pickles, onions, ketchup and mustard, is its best-known item, and the chain regularly runs limited-time burgers. If you like a griddled, saucy, fast-food burger, Checkers fits. If you like a smoky chargrilled patty with Southern toppings such as chili and slaw, Cook Out fits.

Fries and sides: the real difference

This is where the chains split most clearly.

• Checkers: Famous Seasoned Fries are the signature, coated in a peppery seasoning. Many fans visit for the fries alone.
• Cook Out: sides are the point of the Tray. You choose two from a long list, including fries, hush puppies, onion rings, cheese bites, chicken nuggets, slaw, chili and a small drink. See our full Cook Out sides list.

If you love a seasoned fry but prefer Cook Out, order the Cook Out Cajun fries, which bring a spicy coating of their own, or pair regular fries with one of the dipping sauces. Cook Out also sells cheese bites and hush puppies, two sides Checkers does not usually offer, so a tray can cover a craving for something crunchy and cheesy at the same time.

If you want one great side, Checkers' fries are the draw. If you want variety, Cook Out lets you mix two sides with every tray.

Shakes and drinks

Cook Out is a milkshake destination. The menu lists more than 40 flavors, from banana pudding to peach cobbler, plus floats with Coke or Cheerwine. Our Cook Out milkshake ranking picks the best, and what is Cheerwine explains the cherry soda.

Checkers sells a smaller range of classic shakes and fountain drinks. It is fine for a quick shake, but it does not compete with Cook Out on flavors.

Value: trays vs combos

Both chains are known as budget options, but they bundle food differently.

The fairest way to compare is to price the same meal, a burger, a side and a drink, at both chains near you on the same day. Our Cook Out prices page tracks current tray prices by state, and the tray combinations guide shows how to get the most for your money.

Hours and late-night food

Both chains appeal to late-night customers. Many Cook Out stores stay open into the early morning, often until around 3 a.m. on weeknights and later at weekends, though each store sets its own hours. Checkers and Rally's stores also commonly open late, and some run overnight. Before a late trip, check the store's listing. Our Cook Out hours page has typical times and holiday notes.

Chicken, hot dogs and other mains

Cook Out has a wide menu beyond burgers: chicken breast sandwiches in several styles, chicken strips, wraps and quesadillas, barbecue sandwiches and hot dogs. Our Cook Out chicken menu has the full list.

Checkers also sells chicken sandwiches, wings and hot dogs, and it often adds limited-time items. Its menu is shorter but rotates promotions more often.

Ordering with kids

Neither chain has a play area, so both are better for a quick meal than a long sit-down. At Cook Out, a regular burger, a hot dog or chicken strips with one side is plenty for most younger children, and a small shake works as dessert. At Checkers, a value-menu burger or a small chicken sandwich with fries fits a smaller appetite. Ask for sauces on the side so children can choose.

Which is easier to find?

Cook Out is concentrated in the Southeast: North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama, with growth in Florida and nearby states. Checkers covers the Southeast and parts of the Northeast, while the same menu appears as Rally's in the Midwest and California. In much of the Southeast you can find both within a short drive. Use our Cook Out locations list to find the nearest store.

Ordering for a group

For a group, Cook Out's Tray makes ordering simple: everyone picks a main and two sides, and the drink or shake is part of the meal. Checkers works well if everyone wants a burger and fries; order a large fries to share. At either chain, read the order back at the speaker and check the bag before you pull away.

Tips if you are new to either chain

First time at Cook Out:

• Start with a Tray; it is the best way to try two sides.
• Pick a burger style before you order.
• Swap your drink for a shake.

First time at Checkers:

• Get the seasoned fries, even if you skip the burger.
• Try the Big Buford if you want the classic.
• Check the current limited-time menu; it changes often.

Which should you choose?

Pick Cook Out if you want a full meal with two sides for a low price, a thick milkshake in dozens of flavors, barbecue or hot dogs with your burger, or a late-night tray.

Pick Checkers if you want peppery seasoned fries, a quick stacked burger, or a double drive-thru outside Cook Out's Southeast footprint.

For more head-to-heads, read Cook Out vs Sonic, Cook Out vs Whataburger and our Cook Out vs Five Guys vs Wendy's value comparison.