Cookout Secret Menu: Hidden Items, Milkshakes & Ordering Tips

The Cookout secret menu gives you access to off-menu burgers, hot dogs, trays, sides, milkshakes, and desserts, all built from ingredients already in the kitchen at Cook Out restaurants across the Southeast United States. For the full standard offerings, check the complete Cookout Menu. Prices start around $1.50 for sides, $2.50 for hot dog builds, and go up to $7.00 for doubled burger combinations, with milkshakes ranging from $2.99 to $3.99.

Cook Out’s ordering system supports full customization across every category with more than 40 milkshake base flavors that can be blended together or upgraded with cheesecake pieces, Nilla wafers, M&M pieces, and candy mix-ins. The secret menu is not a printed list, it is what happens when you know how to use that flexibility across every item Cook Out already carries.

Secret menu items are priced as the base item plus any add-ons you request. Standard toppings like slaw, mustard, and onions are typically free. Premium additions like bacon, extra meat, or milkshake mix-ins may carry a small charge depending on location. Use our Cookout Calorie Calculator to track your full meal nutrition.

Item	Price Range	Notes
Everything-Style Burger	$3.00 – $5.00	All toppings loaded
Quesadilla Burger	$4.00 – $6.00	Quesadilla replaces bun
Cheddar Style Burger	$3.50 – $5.00	Cheddar sauce and bacon
Nacho Chili Style Burger	$3.50 – $5.00	Tortilla strips, cheddar, chili
House Style Burger	$3.00 – $4.50	Choice of sauce and toppings
All Style Burger	$3.00 – $5.00	All named styles combined
Peanut Butter Burger	$3.00 – $4.50	PB typically free add-on
Double Big Double	$5.00 – $7.00	Double beef and toppings
BLT	$2.50 – $4.00	Bacon, lettuce, tomato
Firecracker Hot Dog	$2.50 – $3.50	Chili, jalapeños, Texas Pete, Cajun
Mexi Dog	$2.50 – $3.50	Chili, cheese, jalapeños, taco sauce
Cheese Dog	$2.00 – $3.00	No hot dog inside
Chicken Quesadilla with Hot Sauce	$4.00 – $5.50	Cajun or hot sauce upgrade
BBQ Tray with Sandwich Slaw	$5.00 – $7.00	Slaw on sandwich not side
Walking Taco	$3.00 – $5.00	Limited locations
Tacos Custom Build	$3.00 – $5.00	Availability varies
Milkshakes Base	$2.99 – $3.99	Mix-ins may cost extra
Seasonal Milkshakes	$2.99 – $3.99	Pumpkin Pie 600-800 cal, Eggnog 715 cal, Watermelon 645 cal
Bacon and Onion Fries	$2.00 – $3.50	Bacon add-on may cost extra
Loaded Fries	$2.50 – $3.50	Cheese, bacon, Cajun spice
Well-Done Fries	$1.50 – $2.50	Extra crispy on request
Grilled Cheese	$1.50 – $2.50	Location-dependent
Side of Queso	$1.00 – $2.00	Quesadilla sauce as dip

Cook Out’s secret entrees cover loaded burger builds, named burger styles, creative hot dog variations, sandwich builds, and tray customizations. These secret builds start from items on the regular Cookout Burgers menu. Every item below is built from ingredients already in the kitchen, none require anything Cook Out does not already stock.

All Style Burger

A cheeseburger built with every named Cook Out style combined — onions, lettuce, tomatoes, mustard, chili, and slaw all on one patty, priced at $3.00 to $5.00. It delivers more flavor layering than any single named style on the regular menu.

Peanut Butter Burger

A regular burger with peanut butter added onto the warm patty, priced at $3.00 to $4.50 with peanut butter typically free. The peanut butter melts into the meat and creates a salty, creamy bite that many Cook Out regulars consider the best off-menu build on the entire menu. Customers with nut allergies should review the Cookout Allergen Menu before ordering.

Double Big Double

A standard Big Double Burger with double the beef and double the toppings, priced at $5.00 to $7.00. Ask for a Big Double Burger doubled and the staff builds it from there.

BLT

A bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich available at most Cook Out locations for $2.50 to $4.00. It does not appear on the standard board at every location but uses standard kitchen ingredients. Order it directly by name.

Spicy Hot Dog (Firecracker Style)

A hot dog built with chili, chopped onions, mustard, jalapeños, Texas Pete hot sauce, and Cajun seasoning, priced at $2.50 to $3.50. List each topping by name rather than using the Firecracker nickname, staff recognize the toppings faster than the name.

Mexi Dog

A hot dog loaded with chili, diced onions, cheddar cheese, jalapeños, and taco sauce, priced at $2.50 to $3.50. Ask for a hot dog with chili, cheese, onions, jalapeños, and taco sauce.

Cheese Dog

Two slices of cheese, slaw, chili, and diced onions placed inside a hot dog bun with no actual hot dog inside, priced at $2.00 to $3.00. Ask for a hot dog bun with chili, cheese, slaw, and diced onions.

Chicken Quesadilla with Hot Sauce

A standard Chicken Quesadilla upgraded with hot sauce or Cajun seasoning, priced at $4.00 to $5.50. Ask for the quesadilla with hot sauce or Cajun seasoning on top. The quesadilla sauce can also be requested as a separate side dip.

BBQ Tray with Sandwich Slaw

A standard BBQ tray with slaw placed directly on the sandwich instead of served as a side, priced at $5.00 to $7.00. The slaw adds crunch and balances the smokiness of the BBQ. Add hushpuppies as a tray side for extra texture. See all tray options on the Cookout Tray Menu. Add hushpuppies as a tray side for extra texture.

Tacos Custom Build

A taco-style order built using available fillings, seasoned meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and sauces, priced at $3.00 to $5.00. Availability varies by location so ask before ordering and specify each filling by name.

Walking Taco

A taco-style combination of seasoned meat, cheese, and toppings delivering crunch and bold flavor in every bite, priced at $3.00 to $5.00. Available at limited locations on request, ask the staff whether it is available before ordering. Learn more on our dedicated Walking Taco page.

With more than 40 base flavors and the ability to blend any of them together, Cook Out’s milkshake section is where the secret menu delivers the most variety. Browse all standard flavors on the Cookout Milkshakes Menu. Mix-ins including cheesecake bites, Oreo pieces, Nilla wafers, and M&M pieces push combinations well beyond what the board shows. All milkshakes are priced at $2.99 to $3.99 with mix-ins potentially adding a small charge.

Mixed-Flavor Milkshake Combos

Blending two or three base flavors is the most popular secret milkshake move at Cook Out. Top combos include chocolate and banana pudding, peanut butter and banana, cherry and chocolate, and caramel and Oreo. Pick one primary base and one accent flavor for the best result.

Cheesecake Shake

Any milkshake base with real cheesecake pieces blended in. Strawberry cheesecake and chocolate cheesecake are the most requested versions. Ask for your base flavor with cheesecake bites blended in.

Banana Split Shake

Banana, pineapple, strawberry, and chocolate blended into one shake. Order by listing all four flavors and asking for them blended together.

PB&J Shake

Peanut butter, strawberry, and fudge blended into a single shake. The peanut butter carries the base, strawberry adds brightness, and fudge deepens the sweetness.

M&M Milkshake

A vanilla or chocolate milkshake base with M&M pieces mixed in. Add peanut butter or fudge alongside the M&Ms for a richer result.

Peanut Butter and M&M Shake

A peanut butter milkshake base with M&M pieces blended in. The salty peanut butter and sweet candy combination makes this one of the more indulgent milkshake builds on the secret menu.

Caramel Cappuccino Shake

Caramel and cappuccino flavors blended together. Both are standard Cook Out flavors making this a reliable order at any location.

Cookies and Cream Freakshake

A vanilla milkshake base blended with Oreo pieces and topped with extra cookie bits. Adding cheesecake bites makes it significantly denser and is one of the most consistently mentioned milkshake builds across Cook Out customer communities.

Chocolate Banana Pudding Shake

A banana pudding milkshake base blended with chocolate. The chocolate deepens the banana pudding sweetness without overpowering it. Ask for a banana pudding shake with chocolate blended in.

Nilla Wafers Shake

A milkshake base infused with Nilla wafer pieces. The Nilla wafers add a soft vanilla-cookie texture, less crunch than Oreo-based add-ins, more creamy sweetness throughout. Ask for a vanilla or banana base with Nilla wafers mixed in.

Strawberry Shortcake Shake

A strawberry milkshake base built to replicate the flavor of a strawberry shortcake dessert. Ask for a strawberry shake with vanilla and cookie or cake pieces mixed in.

Pumpkin Spice Shake

A pumpkin spice flavored milkshake available at select locations, separate from the Pumpkin Pie Shake. Ask specifically for pumpkin spice rather than pumpkin pie as these are two different flavor profiles.

Cookies and Nilla Wafers Add-Ins

Crushed Oreos, Nilla wafers, candy pieces, and cheesecake slices can all be added to any milkshake base to build a dessert-style shake. List each add-in by name when ordering.

Seasonal Milkshake Flavors

Pumpkin Pie (600-800 cal), Eggnog (715 cal), and Watermelon (645 cal) shakes all sit at $2.99 to $3.99 and rotate throughout the year. Apple pie and strawberry-based seasonal flavors also appear at certain times. Use our Cook Out calorie tracker to check nutrition before ordering. Ask staff what is currently available before ordering.

Cook Out’s hidden sides include Southern staples and loaded upgrades that most customers never think to request. These go beyond the standard Cookout Sides Menu. All are built from standard kitchen ingredients and work especially well substituted into a tray order.

Bacon and Grilled Onion Fries

Regular fries topped with crispy bacon and smoky grilled onions, priced at $2.00 to $3.50. Ask for fries with bacon and grilled onions added.

Loaded Fries

Fries topped with cheese, bacon, and Cajun spice, priced at $2.50 to $3.50. The Cajun seasoning on top of cheese and bacon adds real heat and depth. Ask for fries with cheese, bacon, and Cajun seasoning on top.

Well-Done Fries

Extra crispy fries cooked longer than standard, priced at $1.50 to $2.50. Ask for your fries well-done for a noticeably crunchier result throughout.

Grilled Cheese

A grilled cheese made with melted cheese on a toasted bun, priced at $1.50 to $2.50. Customize with bacon, tomato, or a burger patty inside. Can be ordered as a tray side or standalone main.

Side of Queso

The quesadilla sauce from the Chicken Quesadilla ordered as a standalone dip, priced at $1.00 to $2.00. Works as a dip for fries, hot dogs, or any tray item. Ask for a side of quesadilla sauce directly.

Fried Okra

Crispy outside and tender inside, available at many locations on request even though it rarely appears on the main board. Pairs well with BBQ trays and burgers. Availability varies by location.

Hushpuppies

Golden fried cornmeal bites ordered individually or swapped in as a tray side. Replace a standard tray side with hushpuppies by asking directly, one of the best overlooked value additions on the secret menu.

White Cheddar Cheese Bites

Crispy outside and soft cheesy inside, available as a tray side at most locations. Ask for them by name when building your tray.

Cook Out carries brownie-based desserts and cheesecake options at select locations that go beyond milkshake mix-ins.

Walnut Brownie

A rich brownie with walnuts available at select Cook Out locations. Order it alone, pair it with a milkshake, or add whipped cream where available. Ask staff whether brownies are currently in stock before ordering.

Brownie-Based Desserts

Brownie builds can be ordered with toppings of your choice at some locations with whipped cream available at certain locations. Ask about current options before ordering.

Cheesecake Bites

Cheesecake pieces most commonly used as milkshake mix-ins can also be requested as a standalone dessert. Ask staff about available flavors and whether toppings like strawberry or chocolate sauce are available. Availability varies by location and season.

Pumpkin Pie (600-800 cal), Eggnog (715 cal), and Watermelon (645 cal) shakes all sit at $2.99 to $3.99 and rotate throughout the year at Cook Out locations. Apple pie and strawberry-based seasonal flavors also appear at certain times of year. None of these are heavily advertised on the main board, asking staff directly what is currently in rotation is the most reliable approach before every visit.

Tips to Order the Cookout Secret Menu

• Describe every topping and mix-in by name rather than using secret menu nicknames, “hot dog with chili, jalapeños, mustard, Texas Pete, and Cajun seasoning” works every time where “Firecracker Dog” may not register with staff
• Start with a standard base item first then layer your customizations on top, never lead with a secret item name directly
• Ask about availability before ordering any regional or seasonal item since fried okra, walking taco, and seasonal shakes are not guaranteed at every location
• For milkshakes, choose one primary base flavor and no more than two mix-ins to keep flavors distinct and avoid a muddled result
• Ask staff to add Nilla wafers if you want a cookie-style milkshake without the crunch of Oreos
• For trays, ask for side substitutions directly, “instead of fries, can I get hushpuppies and fried okra” is a clean request the register handles quickly
• Visit during off-peak hours for complex builds, a Cook Out employee confirmed on Reddit the system supports high customization but execution depends on how busy the kitchen is
• Ask about extra charges before finalizing, standard toppings like slaw and mustard are typically free but bacon, extra meat, and milkshake mix-ins may cost extra
• If a certain item is not available at your location, ask for the closest substitute using.

The Cookout secret menu spans loaded burger builds, named burger styles, creative hot dog variations, tray customizations, more than 40 blendable milkshake flavors, hidden Southern sides, seasonal shakes with confirmed calorie counts, and dessert options most customers never discover.

Every item is built from what is already in the kitchen, knowing what to ask for and how to describe it clearly is the only thing separating a standard Cook Out visit from one that delivers exactly what you want. Pair your meal with options from the Cookout Drinks Menu or explore the Cookout Ice Cream Menu for dessert. Visit cookout.com to find your nearest location.