This Southern fast-food chain has a secret weapon that makes it better than the rest

Kate Taylor

Milkshake fanatics, it’s time to begin planning your pilgrimage down South.

While there are plenty of famous milkshakes in the world of fast food, none are closer to my heart than those made at the regional restaurant chain Cook Out.

With 140 locations in the southern US, the chain has a cult following in states like North and South Carolina, but remains foreign to the rest of the country.

While Business Insider’s own Travis Lyles recently wrote up a guided tour of a Newport News, Virginia, location, I wanted to more fully explore my personal favorite Cook Out item: the milkshake.

So while in Durham, North Carolina, for Christmas, I decided it was time to shine the spotlight on the best chain-restaurant milkshakes you can find.

I decided to visit the newest of the four Cook Out locations in Durham, eschewing my go-to drive thru for a sit-down spot.

College-sports gear serves as decoration at Cook Out, adding to the local vibe — though, I admit as a Duke fan, I didn't love the overrepresentation of the University of North Carolina.

The food at Cook Out is a great value. Few other chains offer as many options or this much food for less than $5. As value combo deals promise to be a hot topic in 2016, with new menus like McDonald's McPick 2, most chains could learn a few lessons from Cook Out.