Cook Out vs Del Taco: Menu Prices Compared (2026)

Updated August 15, 2026 6 items matched

The short answer

Del Taco is the cheaper of the two. Of the 6 directly comparable items we could match across both menus, Del Taco is cheaper on 5 of them, by an average of $1.92 per item.

Typical menu price: Cook Out $4.79 · Del Taco $3.49

Matched Items, Side by Side

The same item on both menus, priced against each other. Where names differ, we matched the closest equivalent — Cook Out's wording first.

Item	Cook Out	Del Taco	Difference
Grilled Chicken Platevs Grilled Chicken Taco	$9.79	$3.29	$6.50 cheaper at Del Taco
Grilled Chicken Sandwichvs Grilled Chicken Taco	$5.29	$3.29	$2.00 cheaper at Del Taco
Cheesecake Shakevs Shake (regular)	$4.79	$4.29	$0.50 cheaper at Del Taco
Cheeseburgervs Value Cheeseburger	$3.99	$1.99	$2.00 cheaper at Del Taco
Fountain Drink (large)vs Fountain Drink (medium)	$2.79	$2.69	$0.10 cheaper at Del Taco
Fountain Drink (regular)vs Fountain Drink (medium)	$2.29	$2.69	$0.40 cheaper at Cook Out

Cook Out vs Del Taco at a Glance

	Cook Out	Del Taco
Typical menu price	$4.79	$3.49
Average menu price	$5.16	$4.25
Cheapest item	Coleslaw — $1.99	Value Taco — $1.29
Most expensive item	Double Burger Plate — $9.99	Epic Burrito Combo — $11.79
Items priced	43	44
Menu sections	6	6
Price range	$	$
Founded	1989	1964
Headquarters	Thomasville, North Carolina	Lake Forest, California
Locations	About 300 restaurants across the Southeast	About 600 restaurants, concentrated in the West

Which One Should You Order From?

Del Taco has the lower typical menu price of the two — $3.49 against $4.79 — but a typical price only tells you where the middle of the menu sits. At the value end, Del Taco gets you in cheaper at $1.29.

Cook Out is strongest on Cook Out Tray, Big Double Burger, Cajun Chicken Sandwich; Del Taco on Del Taco (crunchy), Epic Burrito, Crinkle Cut Fries. Neither chain's app prices match the counter, and both discount heavily through their loyalty programmes, so the deals below usually matter more than the few cents between the two menus.

Deals Worth Knowing at Both

Cook Out

The Cook Out Tray at $7.49 to $8.79 includes an entree, two sides and a drink — the cheapest complete combo of any national or regional chain.
Upgrading the tray drink to a milkshake for $2.99 costs less than buying the shake separately at $4.29.
Cook Out stays open until 3:00 or 4:00 AM, which makes it one of the only late-night sit-down-quality options in much of the Southeast.

Del Taco

The 20 Under $2 menu is the deepest value lineup in Mexican fast food — a Value Taco at $1.29 and a cheeseburger at $1.99 from the same window.
Two Value Tacos plus Value Fries comes to about $4.37, well under any combo on the board.
Del Yeah! Rewards in the app gives a free item on signup, points on every order and a birthday reward.

About these prices: menu prices are set by individual franchise owners and change without notice. The figures on this page are researched estimates for 2026 and are provided for reference only. Confirm the current price with the restaurant before ordering. Menu Price Book is not affiliated with this chain.

Cook Out vs Del Taco — FAQ

Is Cook Out cheaper than Del Taco in 2026?

Del Taco is cheaper on most matched items — 5 of 6. Across the whole menu Del Taco is the lower-priced of the two, at $3.49 for a typical item against $4.79 at Cook Out.

What is the price difference between Cook Out and Del Taco?

On matched items the average difference is $1.92, or about 18% overall. Cook Out averages $5.16 across 40 priced items; Del Taco averages $4.25 across 44.

Which has the cheaper entry price, Cook Out or Del Taco?

Cook Out starts at $1.99 (Coleslaw) and Del Taco at $1.29 (Value Taco).

Are these prices the same at every location?

No. Both chains let franchise owners set prices, so figures move by a dollar or more between markets and run highest at airport, stadium and highway locations. Treat these as the typical U.S. price, not a quote.