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Cook Out's first Alabama restaurant opened in Tuscaloosa in 2016, and it still keeps the latest hours of any Alabama store in our guides: 3:30 AM Monday through Thursday and 4:30 AM on Fridays. The restaurant at 100 15th Street East has 2,188 Google reviews at 4.2 stars, a Yelp health score of 98 and a Yelp rating of 3.2. Alabama has grown from that single store to about 16 since.
- 2016
- Year of Alabama's first Cook Out
- 4:30 AM
- Friday close
- 98
- Yelp health score
- 4.2 vs 3.2
- Google against Yelp
Tuscaloosa, per Wikipedia
3:30 AM Monday to Thursday
As listed on its Yelp page
2,188 and 108 reviews
Cook Out Tuscaloosa
Open- Address
- 100 15th St. E., Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
- Opened
- 2016, Alabama's first Cook Out
- Hours
- 10:30 AM to 3:30 AM Monday to Thursday; 10:30 AM to 4:30 AM Friday (Yelp); Saturday also runs late
- Drive-thru
- Yes
How did Alabama go from one Cook Out to sixteen?
In openings that came every few months. Wikipedia's company history lists the Alabama stores in order, and WAFF's report on Huntsville confirms the count: Huntsville, on January 4, 2018, was the fourth.
| Alabama opening | Date |
|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa | 2016 |
| Jacksonville | July 2017 |
| Auburn | December 2017 |
| Huntsville | January 2018 |
| Opelika | May 2018 |
| Troy | June 2018 |
| Mobile | December 2018 |
| Montgomery | January 2019 |
| Birmingham | January 2021 |
Guides for three of them: Huntsville, Mobile and Jacksonville.
How do Tuscaloosa reviewers rate it?
| Site | Rating | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google (via Wanderlog) | 4.2 | 2,188 | The largest sample |
| Tripadvisor | 3.9 | 36 | A photo caption reads: really good food, really great price |
| Restaurantji | 3.8 | 276 | Food 3.9, service 3.8, atmosphere 3.6 |
| Yelp | 3.2 | 108 | Health score 98 |
Reviewers praise the milkshakes, the tray deal and the low prices. Complaints mention cleanliness and undercooked meat, and one Yelp review notes a double cheeseburger that arrived with no cheese. One reviewer wrote that the store almost stays open 24 hours, which overstates the posted hours but fits a 3:30 AM close.
What does a tray cost in Tuscaloosa?
Alabama charges 4%, Tuscaloosa County adds 3% and the city adds 3%, which is 10% in total, according to Avalara. The rate can differ by address inside the city. The Alabama Department of Revenue treats restaurant meals under the 4% general rate, but we did not confirm that for Tuscaloosa. Totals apply the rate to the chain's usual prices, so the 15th Street board may differ.
| Order | Menu price | With 10% tax |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Tray | $7.39 | $8.13 |
| Jr. Tray | $6.39 | $7.03 |
| Milkshake | $3.99 | $4.39 |
Is the Tuscaloosa Cook Out worth a late run?
Yes, if you need food after midnight in a college town. The 4:30 AM Friday close is the latest Alabama listing we have found, and the milkshakes draw the praise.