Cook Out vs Zaxby's: Which Southern Chain Wins Your Order?

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

Cook Out vs Zaxby's at a glance

Origin stories

Cook Out opened its first drive-thru in Greensboro in 1989 and built its reputation on fresh, never-frozen burgers and low prices. Read the full story in our Cook Out history.

Zaxby's started a year later. Childhood friends Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley opened their first restaurant near Georgia Southern University in Statesboro on March 27, 1990. It was first called "Zax," a play on McLeroy's name, and became Zaxby's when the company began franchising in 1994. The chain grew by opening near college campuses across the South.

The signature meal

At Zaxby's, the classic order is a Chicken Fingerz Plate: hand-breaded chicken fingers with crinkle fries, Texas toast, coleslaw and Zax Sauce. The Big Zax Snak and the smaller Nibblerz sandwiches are other favorites, and wings come in several flavors from mild to hot.

At Cook Out, the signature is the Cook Out Tray: one main, two sides and a drink. The main can be a burger, barbecue, chicken strips, a wrap, a quesadilla or a hot dog. Our best Cook Out Tray combinations shows how to build a great one.

Chicken compared

Chicken is Zaxby's whole identity, so it wins this category on depth. You get fingers, bone-in and boneless wings, chicken sandwiches, and salads topped with fried or grilled chicken. Everything is designed around dipping.

Cook Out offers chicken strips, a chicken strip club, crispy, grilled and spicy chicken sandwiches, Cajun chicken and chicken wraps. Many fans love the Cook Out chicken strip club, and our chicken sandwich ranking compares every option.

Sauces: Zax Sauce vs Cook Out options

Zax Sauce is Zaxby's house dipping sauce, a tangy, peppery sauce that fans compare to other famous chicken sauces. Zaxby's also offers ranch, honey mustard, buffalo-style and other dips, and wing sauces such as Teriyaki, Tongue Torch and Wimpy.

Cook Out's sauces come built into its burger and sandwich styles, from Cook Out Style (mustard, chili, slaw, onions) to Cheddar Style and Barbecue Style, plus dips for strips. Our Cook Out sauce pairings guide shows which sauce suits each main.

Verdict: for dipping, Zaxby's sauces are the stars. For dressed burgers and sandwiches, Cook Out's styles give more variety.

Burgers and other mains

Zaxby's does not focus on burgers. If anyone in your group wants a burger, a hot dog, barbecue or a quesadilla, Cook Out is the obvious pick. Its chargrilled burgers come in many styles, explained in our Cook Out burger styles post, and the walking taco is a fun extra.

Sides

• Zaxby's sides: crinkle fries, Texas toast, coleslaw, fried pickles and tater chips, plus salads (availability varies).
• Cook Out sides: fries, Cajun fries, onion rings, hushpuppies, chicken nuggets, cheese bites, slaw, chili, bacon wraps and more.

Zaxby's plates include fries, toast and slaw, so you do not need to choose. Cook Out lets you pick any two sides in a Tray, which gives more control and more variety.

Salads and lighter options

Zaxby's is the better choice if you want a salad. Its Zalads come with fried or grilled chicken, and the grilled versions are among the lighter fast-food chicken meals. Cook Out does not focus on salads, but a grilled chicken sandwich with slaw is a lighter tray choice. Our healthiest Cook Out options has more ideas.

Drinks and desserts

Cook Out's milkshakes are the big draw: more than 40 flavors, including banana pudding, peach cobbler, Oreo and Cheerwine. See our Cook Out milkshake ranking. Cook Out also sells Cheerwine and sweet tea.

Zaxby's offers sweet tea, lemonade, soft drinks and a short dessert menu that usually includes a brownie or cake. If a shake is part of the plan, Cook Out wins easily.

Value

Cook Out is one of the cheapest full meals in fast food because the Tray bundles a main, two sides and a drink. Zaxby's plates are larger and priced higher, but they include a big portion of chicken, fries, toast and slaw. Many diners find a Zaxby's plate fills them up for a single meal, while a Cook Out Tray gives more variety for less money.

For groups, Zaxby's sells family-size meals and party platters of fingers and wings, which are handy for game days. Cook Out offers catering at some locations too. Compare local prices before a big order; our Cook Out menu with prices guide explains how Cook Out pricing works.

Hours and late-night eating

Cook Out is known for staying open late, often into the early morning. Check our Cook Out hours page for typical times. Zaxby's restaurants usually close in the evening, so for a late-night run, Cook Out is far more likely to be open.

Game-day and group orders

Both chains are popular for game days in the South. Zaxby's party platters of fingers and wings, with a tub of Zax Sauce, are easy to share. A Cook Out run works well when everyone wants something different: one person gets a burger tray, another gets chicken strips, a third gets barbecue, and everyone gets a shake.

Where you can find each chain

Both chains are strongest in the Southeast, so many towns in Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Alabama and Virginia have one of each within a few miles. Zaxby's started in Georgia and is especially common there and in neighboring states. Cook Out started in North Carolina and keeps opening new stores across the region; our Cook Out new locations post tracks recent openings, and the locations page lists cities we cover.

A first-timer's order at each

If you have never tried one of them, these orders give a fair taste of what each chain does best.

First time at Zaxby's: a Chicken Fingerz Plate with Zax Sauce and sweet tea. It shows off the breading, the sauce, the crinkle fries and the Texas toast in one meal. If you like heat, add a few wings in a spicier flavor.

First time at Cook Out: a Cook Out Tray with a Big Double burger Cook Out Style, hushpuppies and cheese bites as the two sides, and a banana pudding or peach cobbler milkshake. That covers the chargrilled burger, the snacky sides and the shakes in one order.

Try both within the same week and you will know which one fits your taste.

Which should you choose?

• Choose Zaxby's for chicken fingers, wings, Zax Sauce, salads with chicken, and big filling plates.
• Choose Cook Out for burgers, barbecue, variety, milkshakes, budget Tray meals and late-night drive-thru runs.
• Feeding a group? Zaxby's platters suit a chicken-only crowd, while Cook Out handles mixed orders better.

Ordering tips

At Zaxby's, ask for extra Zax Sauce if you are a heavy dipper, swap Texas toast for an extra side if you want fewer carbs, and try a wing flavor one step hotter than usual.

At Cook Out, order the main, the style and two sides, then add a shake. New to the menu? Read how to order at Cook Out.