Cookout Drinks Menu (2026): Prices & Options
Cookout drinks are half the reason the chain has such a loyal Southern following. Alongside char-grilled burgers and 40+ milkshakes, Cook Out pours a lineup of fountain sodas, fresh brewed tea, and creamy floats at prices that feel like a throwback. Every tray comes with a drink, and you can swap it for a milkshake for a small upcharge.
This guide covers the full Cookout drinks lineup for 2026: the signature Cheerwine, sweet tea, Coca-Cola fountain sodas, floats, sizes, calories, and tray options. Cook Out does not publish one official online menu, so treat every price as an estimate and check your local store, since prices may vary by location.
Table of Contents
Cookout Drinks Menu: Prices & Sizes (2026)
Cookout drinks come in four sizes: Small (12 oz), Regular (16 oz), Large (24 oz), and Huge (32 oz). Fountain sodas, sweet tea, unsweet tea, lemonade, and fruit punch are available in all four sizes at most locations, while floats come in one 16 oz size and Dasani water comes in a 20 oz bottle. Regular is the standard size served with trays.
| Drink | Small 12 oz | Regular 16 oz | Large 24 oz | Huge 32 oz |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fountain sodas | $1.39 | $1.69 | $1.99 | $2.39 |
| Sweet tea | $1.00 | $1.39 | $1.85 | $1.99 |
| Unsweet tea | $1.00 | $1.39 | $1.85 | $1.99 |
| Hi-C pink lemonade / fruit punch | $1.39 | $1.69 | $1.99 | $2.39 |
| Powerade Mountain Blast | $1.39 | $1.69 | $1.99 | $2.39 |
| Coke float | $2.45 | |||
| Cheerwine float | $2.45 | $2.39 | ||
| Dasani water | $2.39 (20 oz bottle) |
Some stores charge a flat price for every size, and a few locations have moved to higher price points, so your menu board is the final word. Sweet tea is often the cheapest drink in the building.
Cheerwine: The Signature Cookout Drink
Cheerwine is the cherry soda that defines Cookout drinks. Invented in 1917 in Salisbury, North Carolina, it has been a family-owned Southern brand for more than a century, and Cook Out carries it on the fountain at most locations across the Southeast. It tastes like a deep, bubbly cherry cola and has become a rite of passage for anyone visiting the Carolinas.
Availability varies by state. Cheerwine is standard in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia, but some locations in Kentucky, Maryland, and other fringe markets may not carry it. If it is your reason for visiting, call ahead or check the menu board before ordering.
Fountain Sodas at Cookout
Cookout runs Coca-Cola fountain systems, so the soda lineup will feel familiar: Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Dr Pepper, Fanta Orange, Pibb Xtra, and Mellow Yellow. Regular sodas run about 104 to 160 calories in a Regular 16 oz cup, while diet sodas have zero calories in every size.
- Coca-Cola and Diet Coke: the default pairing for char-grilled burgers, with zero-sugar options available.
- Dr Pepper and Pibb Xtra: darker, spicier sodas with a loyal following at Southern counters.
- Sprite and Fanta Orange: caffeine-free fizzy options that pair well with salty fries and hot dogs.
- Mellow Yellow: the citrus soda on the fountain for anyone who likes a brighter alternative to Coke.
Fresh Brewed Sweet Tea
Sweet tea is the other Southern pillar of the drinks menu. It is brewed fresh daily, sweetened while hot, and poured over ice in all four sizes. A Regular 16 oz sweet tea has around 236 calories and close to 58 grams of sugar, so it drinks almost like a dessert; a Huge 32 oz runs close to 390 calories.
Two hacks are worth knowing. Unsweet tea is always available with zero calories, and regulars often order half sweet and half unsweet to cut the sugar roughly in half. Some stores sell sweet tea in gallon jugs for parties, so ask if you are feeding a crowd.
Cookout Floats: Coke & Cheerwine
Cookout floats are soda poured over vanilla soft serve, drugstore-style. The two official options are the Coke Float (about 399 calories) and the Cheerwine Float (about 401 calories), both served in a single 16 oz size at around $2.45. The Cheerwine Float has a genuine cult following; fans call it the best float in fast food.
Floats are sometimes listed on the desserts side of the menu, and you can ask for extra soft serve or light ice to change the texture. Both floats contain dairy, so they are the one drink category to avoid if you are lactose intolerant or have a milk allergy. For more frozen options, see our ice cream treats.
Cookout Drinks in the Tray Deal
Every Cookout tray includes a drink at no extra cost, which makes the tray one of the cheapest full meals in fast food. Regular trays run about $7.39 and junior trays about $6.39. You can pick a fountain soda, sweet or unsweet tea, lemonade, or fruit punch in the standard Regular size.
The famous upgrade is the milkshake swap: trade your tray drink for a milkshake for about $1.00 more. Milkshakes are one-size cups in 40+ flavors and run around $2.99 to $3.99 when ordered on their own, so the swap is the best value on the menu if you were already getting a tray. This page focuses on the fountain side of things; the site has dedicated pages for the full milkshake menu and desserts.
Lighter & Caffeine-Free Options
If you want to keep calories down, you have plenty of choices. Unsweet tea, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite Zero, and Dasani water all have zero calories in any size. Powerade Mountain Blast is the lightest flavored option on the fountain, at about 75 calories in a Regular cup.
On caffeine, Coke, Dr Pepper, Cheerwine, and both teas contain it, while Sprite, Fanta, lemonade, fruit punch, and Powerade are caffeine-free. Free refills are generally available inside the dining room, but drive-thru orders do not get them, so order the size you actually want at the window.
Whether you go for the classic Cheerwine, an ice-cold sweet tea with your BBQ tray, or a Cheerwine Float as part drink and part dessert, Cookout drinks punch far above their price tag. Keep your local menu board handy, since prices may vary by location, and remember the tray deal if you want a full meal plus a drink without the full-meal bill.
What drinks does Cookout have?
Cook Out serves Coca-Cola fountain sodas, Cheerwine, fresh brewed sweet and unsweet tea, Hi-C pink lemonade, Hi-C fruit punch, Powerade Mountain Blast, Dasani water, Coke floats, and Cheerwine floats. Milkshakes are also available as a tray drink upgrade.
What is Cheerwine, and is it available at every Cookout?
Cheerwine is a cherry-flavored soda invented in 1917 in Salisbury, North Carolina. It is standard at most Cook Out locations across the Southeast, especially in the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, but a few locations in fringe markets may not carry it, so check your local menu board.
What sizes do Cookout drinks come in?
Most drinks come in four sizes: Small (12 oz), Regular (16 oz), Large (24 oz), and Huge (32 oz). Floats come only in a Regular 16 oz size, Dasani water comes in a 20 oz bottle, and trays include a Regular drink by default.
Can I upgrade my tray drink to a milkshake?
Yes. Every Cookout tray includes a drink, and you can swap it for a milkshake for about $1.00 extra. Floats are a separate purchase rather than a standard tray drink, though some locations will ring one up in a tray if you ask.
Are Cookout floats available all year?
Yes. Unlike seasonal milkshake flavors, the Coke Float and Cheerwine Float stay on the menu year-round at locations that carry them. Seasonal drinks at Cook Out are limited to a few limited-time milkshakes.
Does Cookout offer diet or sugar-free drinks?
Yes. Diet Coke, Coke Zero, unsweet tea, and Dasani water all have zero calories and zero sugar. Sprite and lemonade are caffeine-free but still contain sugar, so the unsweet tea and water are the lightest picks overall.
Do Cookout drinks come with free refills?
Free refills are generally available on fountain drinks if you dine inside, but drive-thru and walk-up window orders do not include refills. When in doubt, order a Large or Huge at the window.