Cook Out is on track to take over the former Back Yard Burgers building at 1723 Union Ave in Midtown, after city officials signed off on a drive-thru at the site. The move would bring a vacant Union Avenue storefront back to life, add another national burger chain to the corridor, and come as company leaders openly float Memphis as a possible hub for expanded operations.
What the board approved
As reported by the Daily Memphian, the Memphis Board of Adjustment voted to allow renovations that would convert the old Back Yard Burgers spot into a drive-thru Cook Out. The decision clears a key zoning obstacle at 1723 Union Ave, and the outlet notes the chain has also discussed broader headquarters plans in the region.
Permit filings and the site
Cook Out has submitted paperwork to the Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development for a commercial alteration at the Union Avenue address, according to What Now Memphis. The filing shows an 831-square-foot layout that fits Cook Out's typically compact store design, and the company told the site it is "just waiting for our permits" before construction can begin.
Cook Out's expansion and local footprint
Cook Out started in Greensboro, N.C., in 1989 and has since spread across the Southeast, according to the company. Cook Out notes it opened its 300th restaurant in the Memphis market in 2022, and the planned Union Avenue location would deepen that presence in the city.
What comes next
There is no set opening date yet. Approvals are still in progress, and the company says work will start once permits are issued. What Now Memphis reports Cook Out is "ready to start asap" once it gets the green light, and the Daily Memphian notes company leaders told reporters they had "debated between here and Nashville" when weighing future operations. For now, neighbors can look for a remodel of the Back Yard Burgers building and a new drive-thru entrance on Union Avenue.
