Savor the flavor of an outdoor-style grilled burger, but don’t have a grill or cooking skills? Jacksonville’s newest fast-food burger joint can relieve those hunger pangs.
Swarmed by hungry customers, the highly anticipated Cook Out has opened its first Northeast Florida restaurant at 14016 Beach Blvd. in the Beach Haven area.
Debuting on July 30, the new restaurant from the Thomasville, N.C., chain is among four statewide. At times during its first week, customers waited in lines stretching out the restaurant doors. During a visit on Aug. 2, cars were backed up around the building in the drive-thru lane and packed the parking lot.
The chain is known for its 40 milkshake flavors, char-grilled burgers, barbecue, hot dogs and more.
Cook Out took over and renovated the 3,344-square-foot building vacated by Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers, which closed in April 2025.
Extensive menu offered at Cook Out
The chain enjoys a cult-like following — fueled by social media — with guests devoted to the size of its portions, the family-friendly price, and the selection and quality of its extensive menu. Especially popular are the Cook Out Trays, which are its combo meals featuring an entree plus two side dishes and a drink.
All trays are served in white clamshell-style takeout boxes, even for dine-in orders.
The Jacksonville menu board lists a regular tray for $8.99. The entree choices are a Big Double Burger, Regular Hamburger, two Quesadillas, Spicy Chicken, two Hot Dogs, Chicken Strips, Regular or Cajun Chicken, Barbecue Chicken or regular Barbecue.
Those trays come with a choice of two sides such as Onion Rings, Regular or Cajun Fries, Hushpuppies, Slaw, or cheese bites. Guests also can “double up” with Chicken Nuggets, a Corn Dog, Chicken or Bacon Wrap, a Quesadilla or Roos Walkin’ Taco.
The smaller Junior Tray is $7.99. And individual burgers range from $3.59 for a small single to $4.69 for a double burger.
A variety of grilled chicken sandwiches as well as tenders, hot dogs, barbecue and fries also are offered individually, according to the menu board.
But milkshakes might be Cook Out’s biggest draw. The restaurant has 40 flavors ranging from classics to specialties for $3.99 each.
Founded in 1989 in Greensboro, N.C., Cook Out has at least 377 locations in 11 states throughout the Southeast, according to ScrapeHero, a web data extraction service.
The Jacksonville restaurant, which is licensed for up to 49 seats, joins Cook Out’s Florida locations in Pensacola, Tallahassee and Tampa Bay.
The renovations and buildout to convert it from Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers to Cook Out was estimated at $819,000, according to a Nov. 25, 2025 city permit.
Cook Out typically is open from 10:30 a.m. to 3 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10:30 a.m. to generally 3:30 a.m. or 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at tstepzinski@jacksonville.com.
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Trendy North Carolina burger chain opens first Jacksonville restaurant
Reporting by Teresa Stepzinski, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
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By Teresa Stepzinski, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union | USA TODAY Network
