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A Regular Tray costs more at a Myrtle Beach Cook Out than in any other city we have covered, and the menu price has nothing to do with it. Prepared food in Myrtle Beach carries an 11.5% meal tax inside the city limits, which turns a $7.39 tray into $8.24. The Kings Highway restaurant is also the busiest Cook Out on the Grand Strand, with 237 Yelp reviews and a late-night close of 3:30 AM.
- 11.5%
- Meal tax inside the city
- $8.24
- Regular Tray with tax
- 4:30 AM
- Friday and Saturday close
- 20 mo
- Carolina Forest permit wait
10.5% elsewhere in Horry County
Against $7.94 in Tampa
Kings Highway store, per Yelp
Filed May 2022, issued January 2024
Cook Out Kings Highway
Open- Address
- 1800 N. Kings Hwy., Myrtle Beach, SC
- Hours
- 10:30 AM to 3:30 AM; 4:30 AM Friday and Saturday (Yelp)
- Drive-thru
- Yes
- Seating
- A 2025 Tripadvisor reviewer said the dining room was closed and the picnic area was worn
Which Cook Outs are in the Myrtle Beach area?
Three have verifiable listings, and a fourth has been reported open since 2024.
| Store | Address | What the listings show |
|---|---|---|
| Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach | 1800 N. Kings Hwy. | Yelp 3.7 stars from 237 reviews; Tripadvisor 4.3 of 5 from 294 |
| North Myrtle Beach | 205 US-17 | Yelp about 3.2 stars from 70 reviews; open to 2 AM, 3 AM Friday and Saturday |
| Carolina Forest | 174 Fresh Dr. per WMBF; the Sun News lists 578 International Dr. beside a CVS | A third-party guide lists it open since 2024; Horry County issued its permit January 24, 2024 |
| Conway | U.S. 501 | Covered in our Conway guide |
Why does a tray cost more in Myrtle Beach?
Because South Carolina taxes prepared food on top of the sales tax. The City of Myrtle Beach says the total on a restaurant meal is 11.5% inside the city limits and 10.5% elsewhere in Horry County, with hospitality fees of 2.5% and a 1% tourism fee among the pieces. That compares with 7.5% at the Florida Cook Outs and 7% in Hall County, Georgia.
| Where | Tax on a meal | Regular Tray | Tax paid on it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myrtle Beach city limits | 11.5% | $8.24 | $0.85 |
| Elsewhere in Horry County | 10.5% | $8.17 | $0.78 |
| Tampa, Jacksonville, Pensacola (Florida) | 7.5% | $7.94 | $0.55 |
| Oakwood (Hall County, Georgia) | 7% | $7.91 | $0.52 |
The same tray costs 30 cents more inside Myrtle Beach's limits than in Tampa. A milkshake runs $4.45 there against $4.29 in Florida. Prices are typical for the chain; the Kings Highway board may differ.
Why does Tripadvisor rate the Kings Highway store higher than Yelp?
The two sites capture different diners. Tripadvisor gives the store 4.3 of 5 from 294 reviews, with visitors praising the milkshakes and the value, while Yelp averages 3.7 from 237. A 2025 Tripadvisor reviewer reported a closed dining room and a run-down picnic area, and another waited more than 45 minutes at a busy time. Yelp reviewers describe the store as a fast late-night stop.
How did Cook Out get to Horry County?
2013
The first Horry County Cook Out is under construction
Off U.S. 501 just north of Burning Ridge, next to a Country Inn & Suites; planners listed the building at 3,590 square feet.
May 2022
Carolina Forest permit application
Cook Out files for a commercial restaurant permit.
January 24, 2024
Horry County issues the permit
20 months after the application.
May 2, 2024
WMBF reports the Fresh Drive store
The site sits off International Drive.
July 1, 2024
Target opening for Carolina Forest
The Horry News reports the date; a guide lists the store open since 2024.
South Carolina has about 52 Cook Outs, second only to North Carolina's roughly 150, and the Grand Strand holds several of them. See all states on the locations page.
What hours do the Myrtle Beach Cook Outs keep?
The Kings Highway store is the latest, at 3:30 AM most nights and 4:30 AM on Fridays and Saturdays, while the North Myrtle Beach store closes at 2 AM and 3 AM on weekends. A Tripadvisor page lists 3:30 PM and 4:30 PM for Kings Highway, which looks like an AM and PM mix-up. Call (866) 547-0011, the Cook Out line, before a very late run.
Is the Kings Highway Cook Out worth the wait?
For a late tray, yes. Avoid the dinner rush, since reviewers report waits of 45 minutes or more, expect a tray that costs about $8.24 with tax, and plan to eat in the car.