New signs, a fresh menu board and a glowing drive-thru screen at 1221 New Bern Avenue are making it look like Taco Roos is just about ready to join the late-night lineup in Raleigh. The small building next to the long-running Cook Out now sports a Taco Roos menu board and a banner that reads "Welcome to Taco Roos," although the digital drive-thru display was still blank during a recent pass-through.
According to The News & Observer, city permitting records show that work was filed to convert the former Subway at the site into a Taco Roos, and the paper's reporter spotted the digital drive-thru screen during a March 12 visit. The News & Observer also reports that Taco Roos signage and a new menu board have been installed, making these on-the-ground changes the clearest signs yet that a change-of-use is underway.
Where Taco Roos Already Operates
Taco Roos is a sister concept to Cook Out and currently lists locations in Wilmington and Thomasville on its site. The Taco Roos website highlights those two operating stores and showcases tacos, burritos and other value-priced items.
Local outlets have been quietly tracking the brand's rollout and earlier permit activity around the Triangle, noting that Cook Out has tested multiple "Roo" concepts and filed permits for similar conversions in the region. WhatNow Charlotte and other local publishers have pointed to those filings and pilot locations as signs the company is still experimenting with the concept.
Building History And Ownership
The New Bern site has its own backstory. The building previously displayed signage for a Roo's Chicken concept and has been the subject of permit filings and ownership transfers in recent years. Axios reported on the Roo's Chicken signs there in 2023, and county deed entries reviewed by local reporters show the parcel changed hands in recent years as Cook Out affiliates positioned the property for redevelopment. Axios details that ownership and permitting timeline.
What To Watch
No official opening date has been announced and the company has not shared a public timeline for Raleigh. For now, the newly installed menu board and an active but blank digital drive-thru screen remain the strongest clues that Taco Roos could be shifting from permits to actual operations. We will be watching the site and company channels for any formal word.
