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Hickory has two Cook Outs, and the newer one replaced a bowling alley. The restaurant on U.S. 70 Southeast stands on the site of AMF Colonial Lanes, which closed in November 2019 and was demolished in October 2022, according to the Hickory Daily Record. The older store is on North Center Street. The newer one is the better bet if you want to sit down: the Record reports a dining room for about 40 people and a double drive-thru.
- 2
- Cook Outs in Hickory
- ~40
- Seats in the U.S. 70 dining room
- Nov. 2019
- Colonial Lanes closes
- 4.0 vs 2.9
- Google against Yelp
N. Center St. and U.S. 70 SE
Plus a double drive-thru
The building came down in October 2022
About 1,725 reviews against 29
Cook Out U.S. 70 Southeast
Open- Address
- U.S. 70 SE, Hickory, NC (the former AMF Colonial Lanes site)
- Opened
- On a Wednesday afternoon, per the Hickory Daily Record; the date is not visible in the version we could read
- Drive-thru
- Double lane
- Seating
- Dining room for about 40
Cook Out North Center Street
Open- Address
- 1710 N. Center St., Hickory, NC 28601
- Hours
- 10:30 AM to 3 AM; 4 AM Friday and Saturday (Yelp, Tripadvisor)
- Drive-thru
- Yes
What happened to the Colonial Lanes site?
The bowling alley closed, sat, came down and became a Cook Out. The Hickory Record reported the Colonial Lanes closing in November 2019, the demolition in October 2022 and the Cook Out plan the same month.
November 2019
Colonial Lanes closes
The AMF bowling alley at 1951 Highway 70 SE shuts.
October 2022
The building is demolished
The Hickory Record reports the plan for a Cook Out on the site.
Later
The U.S. 70 Cook Out opens on a Wednesday afternoon
With a dining room for about 40 and a double drive-thru.
Guthrie's Chicken is also opening its first Hickory store at 1862 U.S. 70 SE, according to the Record, on the same corridor.
How do Hickory reviewers rate the North Center Street store?
Google is warm and Yelp is not. Wanderlog shows Google at 4.0 from about 1,725 reviews, and Restaurantji shows Google at 4.1 and Tripadvisor at 3.6 from 301 ratings. Tripadvisor itself shows 3.5 from 24 reviews, and Yelp shows 2.9 from 29. Recent complaints are about drive-thru service and missing ingredients, and the praise goes to the milkshakes and the value. A Tripadvisor review title says "Love that sweet tea!" while another reads "Traffic is bad but burger is good."
| Site | Rating | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Google (via Wanderlog) | 4.0 | About 1,725 |
| Restaurantji (Google score) | 4.1 | 301 |
| Tripadvisor | 3.5 | 24 |
| Yelp | 2.9 | 29 |
What does a tray cost in Catawba County?
North Carolina charges 4.75% and Catawba County adds 2.25%, which is 7% with no city rate, according to Avalara and the NC Department of Revenue's rate page. Charlotte's Mecklenburg County rose to 8.25% on July 1, 2026, which makes a Hickory tray 9 cents cheaper. Totals apply the rate to the chain's typical prices, and the Hickory stores post their own.
| Order | Menu price | With 7% tax |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Tray | $7.39 | $7.91 |
| Jr. Tray | $6.39 | $6.84 |
| Milkshake | $3.99 | $4.27 |
| Four Regular Trays | $29.56 | $31.63 |
The price guide has the full board, and the locations page covers North Carolina's roughly 150 stores.
Which Hickory Cook Out should you choose?
The U.S. 70 store if you want a dining room, and North Center Street if you are coming from downtown and want the schedule that lists 4 AM on weekends.