Popular Southern fast food chain poised to add eighth Columbia-area location. Here’s where

Jordan Lawrence
·2 min read
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It looks like residents in West Columbia will soon have closer access to more than 40 flavors of Fancy Milkshakes.

A new location of popular Southern fast food staple Cook Out is slated for 1413 Charleston Highway, per property records and a posting seeking construction services. The spot was previously home to a Hardee’s that’s been closed since at least 2019.

No announcements have been made about the location, including any mention of a potential opening date. Cook Out didn’t immediately respond to messages requesting more info.

A Cook Out was proposed three years ago for a lot up the road in Cayce along Knox Abbott Drive, next to the city’s Krispy Kreme. But that location was abandoned after residents in the neighborhood behind it pushed back due to concerns over late-night traffic, noise and the smell the restaurant was likely to produce.

The location along Charleston Highway is already zoned for commercial use by the city of West Columbia and would join an array of existing fast food restaurants along that stretch, including a McDonald’s, an Arby’s, a Subway, and a US Wings & Deli. Indeed, options for burgers and shakes are flush in the area, as a location of Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers opened next door last summer.

At present, the building sits with visible broken glass and one large window covered with plywood.

Per the Cook Out website, there are six locations currently in the Columbia area, with nearby restaurants in Newberry, Batesburg-Leesville and Lugoff and another location listed as coming soon at 1331 Roberts Branch Parkway in northeast Columbia. The restaurant, which originated in 1989 in Greensboro, has grown rapidly in the last decade, surpassing 200 locations in 2016 and 250 in 2018. There are now more than 300 Cook Outs in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and both Carolinas.

Beyond its ballyhooed milkshakes, the chain is known for char-grilled hamburgers, chicken sandwiches and more, served with two sides and a drink if customers opt for one of the restaurant’s signature trays. It’s also known for staying open late — per Google, each of the existing Columbia-area locations is open until at least 2 a.m. seven days a week.