If you live in North Carolina, you know we are known for tons of different things. Some of the things this state is known for are our beaches, our UNC Chapel Hill-Duke rivalry, the love of Sunday football, the Carolina Panthers, barbecue, good sweet tea, and of course, good food. Something else that North Carolina is known for is Cook Out. Cook Out is a fast food privately owned restaurant chain that started in Greensboro, North Carolina. There are many different locations up and down the east coast in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Cook Out was created by Morris Reaves, and the first Cook Out opened in 1989 in Greensboro, NC. This fast food restaurant serves foods that are basically food that you would eat at one of your family's backyard cookout and then some. There's plenty to choose from, and if you can't choose something from the menu, I'm going to assume you're either just not hungry or picky. Cook Out serves hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue, and milkshakes.

Currently, I am an employee at Cook Out. One thing I've always known is how to order food at Cook Out and how it's not that hard. Yes, it can be difficult to pick a meal off of such a broad menu of food, but it's doable. I promise. With my expertise of the menu and since I am good with helping my customers pick out their meals if they need help, I am here to give you some guidance on how to order your food at your nearest Cook Out. That way, you can save time and money! Without further ado, here's some tips on how to order your food and do it correctly at Cook Out.

1. The Cook Out Tray is a savior.

One main entree, two side items, and a drink for $4.99. You can't beat that, but hold on. No, it's not going to be exactly $4.99. Come on now, you have to get taxed. Normally, if you don't add cheese, bacon, chili, cheese, or slaw to something, your tray should be about $5.33. This is cost friendly and great if you are super hungry.

2. You can only get ONE entree.

Okay y'all. There are many entrees to choose from: chicken sandwiches, burgers, barbecue sandwiches, quesadillas (at limited locations), chicken strips, etc. You can not get TWO entrees. If you want that, then you might as well just buy two sandwiches.

3. You cannot make a side the entree of a tray.

No dear friends, you cannot make a honey mustard wrap the entree of a tray. If you are not that hungry, just buy the wrap by itself. If you want fries, we have side orders of fries.

4. Cook Out does not have kid meals.

Sorry kiddies, Cook Out does not have kid meals or toys. Every time a parent asks me if we have kid meals, I just suggest that we have small burgers, small fries, 5 piece nuggets, chicken strips by themselves, and grilled cheese.

5. We have tons of shake flavors to choose from.

There are 40+ shakes on the menu, and there are tons of combinations that you can create. It's up to the customer to choose the shake, and you can combine up to four flavors in one shake. That's right, you could get an Oreo/Peanut Butter Fudge/Strawberry Cheesecake/Chocolate Chip Mint shake in one cup. Good luck with eating all of that.

6. Cheesecake is just like a shake.

If you're wondering, yes we also sell cheesecake slices. Anything you can get in a shake can be put on a slice of cheesecake. If you want Reeses, caramel drizzle, and bananas on your cheesecake slice, you can get it.

7. Nothing comes on our burgers, chicken sandwiches, or hot dogs.

This is my pet peeve when taking orders even though I know some people don't know this. Burgers, chicken sandwiches and hot dogs are plain, made to order. That means you add what you want to it. I can ask a customer "What would you like on that burger?", and they'll say "Whatever comes on it." Okay boo, so you want it plain? Make sure to tell the cashier what you would like on your burger unless you want a plain sandwich.

8. We no longer have the foot long hot dog.

Yes, I remember eating the foot long hot dog when I was younger. So so so so good! Sadly, we no longer have the foot long hot dog. Cook Out replaced the foot long with the two hot dog tray.

9. Styles will help you.

If you don't know what exactly you want on your food, don't worry. We got you covered! We have different styles for burgers, chicken, and hot dogs. You could get a cheddar style burger, a club style chicken sandwich, or a Cook Out style hot dog. The list goes on.

10. Treat the walk in Cook Out how you would a drive thru Cook Out.

Okay, you don't have to tell me that your order is to go or for here. Your food is packaged the same way. If you need a bag, I will definitely give you one, but nothing has changed just because you walk inside Cook Out.

11. Side orders and tray orders are different.

In an order of nuggets, you get 5 nuggets; on the tray you get 3. A side of onion rings is 8, and on the tray it's 4. Hushpuppies come in a dozen, but on a tray you get 6.

12. Quesadillas AKA the Hidden Jewel.

Yes, the location on Sapp Road has quesadillas. I'm pretty sure it's the only location in Greensboro with the quesadillas. They can be a side on a tray as well as the entree.

13. Drinks are serious.

Yes, you may want to be basic and just get a fountain drink with your tray, but there are many other options for a beverage. You could get a huge sweet tea, a fountain drink, a Coke float or Cheerwine float, or a shake for a dollar extra.

14. No, drinks are serious, especially the sizes.

LET'S GET SOMETHING STRAIGHT. A regular drink is 16 ounces. A large drink is 24 ounces. A huge drink (or what people think is a large) is 32 ounces. Note to self: if you ask for a LARGE drink, I'm not handing you the 32 ounce cup. I'm handing you that 24 ounce cup, so if you want an EXTRA LARGE cup, ask for a huge.

15. Shakes only come in one size.

They only come in 16 ounce cups.

16. You can ask for sauce, you won't be charged.

For the teenagers that come in and say "Can I get honey mustard from the back? Are those the magic words?" and laugh and crack jokes, quit it. Yes, the honey mustard and different sauces we keep in the front are different from the sauces that the people in the back use to put on sandwiches, burgers, and wraps. Just ask if you can get the sauce that you want from the back, there are no magic words.

I think that's pretty much it. Working at Cook Out can be fun, but it's even more fun when customers know what they want or can order the food the correct way. Cook Out is a blessing and a curse because it's extremely affordable, but everybody literally wants it everyday since it's cost friendly and so good. So there you have it! I dropped a few tips on how to order at your favorite Cook Out. I hope you use them and use them well!