Time-Out Restaurant - East Franklin

Stopped by this 24-hour diner for a quick bite and left with mixed impressions but a full stomach. The honey biscuit was a bit too much on the sweet side—drenched in honey to the point where I couldn’t really taste the biscuit itself. A lighter touch would go a long way. On the other hand, the chicken cheese biscuit sandwich featured a generous, juicy piece of chicken, though it was slightly over-salted for my taste. Service was excellent—the worker was both friendly and informative, and my order came out fast. You really can’t beat the prices here, especially with the size of the portions and the fact that it’s open 24/7. The menu is huge, and I’m already planning my next visit. Looking forward to trying a plain biscuit to really get a sense of the flavor, and I’ve got my eye on a cinnamon roll too.

Good food and good service! If you’re looking for some affordable southern comfort food keep Time Out in mind. The meal was fresh and tasty! There was a nice variety of menu items to try. The food was already made so there was no wait. Handicap accessible. Street parking and space is limited. Open 24 hrs. Family friendly.

Fried Chicken, MJ Legends & a Bucket of Bones While visiting UNC Chapel Hill, we made a stop at Time-Out, and it turned into one of the most unexpectedly charming, delicious, and story-filled meals of our trip. The owner, who still works the register after many decades, told us the backstory behind their legendary Bucket of Bones - a brilliant bit of Southern ingenuity. Back in the day, they’d cut the meat off fried chicken for sandwiches and were left with a pile of bones still loaded with flavor. So what did they do? Gave folks a way to eat what many really want anyway: the juicy, tender meat right by the bone. A hit was born, apparently and Michael Jordan loved it too when he was in school at UNC. He still comes by from time to time, we were told. But truly, the fried chicken is the standout. That crackly, hard shell crust? Unreal. It breaks apart like a potato chip and gives way to perfectly seasoned meat. Collard greens were melt-in-your-mouth tender. The mac and cheese didn’t hit the same- too much oil and that familiar separation that happens when the cheese sauce “breaks” from overheating or too much fat without emulsification. Cornbread was sweet, more like a honey cake and made a great unofficial dessert. The place feels like a diner frozen in time in the best way - a classic buffet line, Southern hospitality, and storytelling that stays with you. I’d definitely come back, if only for that bucket and that crust.

If you're looking for a place to eat that hits all the nostalgia buttons and has a long history of being a gem among eateries, Time Out is it. The Chicken & Cheddar Biscuit was absolutely phenomenal. The chicken breast they used was massive and definitely a meal in itself. My wife got the regular fried chicken plate and again, the chicken was great. Whenever I come back to Chapel Hill, I'll be stopping here again for sure!

Found this gem of a restaurant on a humbug. Chicken taste like the colonel’s on steroid. Green beans slightly greasy like grandma’s, Mac & cheese is immaculate. 3 people ordered just that alone. Ask for a chicken sandwich. Y’all get a bone-in fillet on bread of choice..

Everything was wonderful! The pulled pork didn't even need any extra sauce. It was seasoned perfectly!

Was passing thru Chapel Hill and just had to stop in for some lunch. The chicken and cheddar biscuit was delicious and my son loved the Mac n cheese. Will certainly be back on our next trip thru!!

Waste of time and money! Went in as a family, hoping to enjoy some yummy food for a reasonable price. Awful food, even worse people behind the counter. Super rude, but I could've gotten over that if the food was decent. It was terrible, seriously the worst food I've had from an establishment in a long time. Bojangles would've been 1000x better! The biscuit and excuse for chicken was laughable, they had been sitting for a minimum of 12 hours, I'm sure. I was excited to try this place but will definitely not bother trying again!

First time here. We ordered the chicken biscuits with cheese. It is very tasty. The service was face and the photos on the walls were amazing. The best one is Chris Webber calling the timeout in the Natty. Classic

A piece of Chapel Hill college town history. It is a 24 hour-7 day a week restaurant. Chicken biscuit was ok. Biscuit was tough and chicken was dry. Kind of what I expected but would visit again.

After spending 9 hrs at the hospital ER we need a place to eat at 4 am. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food here. Great fried chicken and mac & cheese. Food was very fresh.

This is a Chapel Hill classic, even if it is not in its original location. Late night revellers know that a chicken and cheese biscuit will hit the spot. We popped in after attending an event on campus and decided to go ahead and get biscuits. It was pretty quiet in the evening midweek but we know late nights on weekends is the sweet spot for this place. They have other offerings but the classic is a chicken biscuit.

After a basketball game I was starving and thought why not get some Time Out. I tried their classic chicken biscuit sandwich and it did not disappoint. A huge chicken breast on a delicious biscuit. I'll definitely be back!!

A classic place on Franklin street for a chicken biscuit. Service was fast and the r place is set up like the old location was. There are benches and tables for sit down dining. Still the best chicken biscuit in Chapel Hill.

The food here is excellent - if you're looking for classic Southern food in a classic Chapel Hill establishment, this place is it. If you love college basketball, this is filled with UNC basketball imagery. I've had this food many times and it always satisfies the craving for good Southern food. I'm docking a star because the service here can be very variable. I ordered a combo with a soda - only to find out that the soda machine was broken after I already paid. If I had known that the soda machine was unavailable, I wouldn't have bought a combo with a soda. There is also no bathroom here (or at least, that's what they told me when I asked) as an FYI. This location is much better for take out and ordering than dining in, which is disappointing since the restaurant decor is excellent.

I am giving it a 1 because the dinner plate had edible mac n cheese and cole slaw. The pulled pork was bizarre it was in a vinegary (burning our mouths) soup,= SLOP. It was not like this at all a few yrs ago. I had to wonder how is this passing--it was like no S. BBQ we've had anywhere. This was preceded by being stressed & intimidated to get out our car to go into Time Out because a VERY aggressive unstable beggar was at the door. We tried to make a run for the restaurant , but he still harrassed us. Behind the counter more joy-- grumpy male & particularly the female. The female, who was dressed like a male, half skinned short hair cut w/ many piercings in her ear and what not was so rude & hostile at the cash register it was ridiculous!!!! and no surprise??? she would also not give us a cup of water. The beggar was repeatedly bothering customers and spit on one when not given $$ and then another came in and made some sm talk w/ the rude counter lady prior to my asking for water and was given a meal to go and I after buying 2 meals couldn't get water or a verbal or non verbal thank you- just unbelievable and sad what goes on at 11pm there. There was just one lone man eating there . It is not worth the abuse.

This food is so bad, I don't care how late or how drunk you are this shit sucks. I payed 9 bucks for some shitty chicken biscuit.

I love getting food here late at night with my friends! There's a lot of options, and everything is packed with flavor. I personally ordered a pulled pork with mashed potatoes and mac & cheese with cornbread on the side. If you asked me what restaurant I would recommend for Southern comfort food, it would have to be this place! The dining atmosphere is definitely more on the casual side since you order at the front and they give you a styrofoam box so you can take it to go or eat it there. The employees have always been nice to me :)

I stopped by here with my son sometime after 12:30am on a Friday night after leaving the Vintage Movie Theater. We stood outside for a solid 10 minutes looking at the online menu before deciding to go in. When I went in, I looked at the actual menu for a while. It then started to get busy. I ended up getting in line around 12:45am. While waiting in line, fresh chicken came out and of course I didn't get it. I ordered the dark meat combo with cabbage, mashed potatoes, and cornbread. I finally got my food around 1am. The mashed potatoes and cabbage was delicious! I had a huge helping of mashed potatoes. I hadn't had either, especially cabbage, in so long. My thigh was really crispy, warm/hot, and delicious. My drumstick, on the other hand, was on the lukewarm/cooler scale and not crispy at all. The cornbread was somewhat of a let down. I was really expecting more and wondered if I should've gotten the biscuit instead. While it was fairly large in size, it tasted overcooked. It wasn't nasty and I ate it, but it definitely wasn't a nice piece of golden cornbread. Overall, for it to be a place open 24/7 and selling soul food, it wasn't bad. I would come back.

I first saw Time-Out on "Man v Food" with Adam Richman, and have been coming ever since. The Chicken Cheddar biscuit (as simple as it is) is absolutely delicious, and one of the best biscuits I've had. Everything else here is very good as well. Definitely worth a quick detour off of I-40 when traveling.

The biscuits here are great! The fried chicken is tasty, with nice crisp breading. Service was good, nothing special. We sat outside since it's nice out. The picnic table was a little wobbly but was comfortable. Great location for a 24 hour spot.

Chapel Hill's own greasy spoon! There's 3 meals I get here regularly and through delivery. Pulled chicken or pork with mac and cheese mashed potatoes or fried chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans. I've ordered at various times but late morning/early afternoon seems to yield the freshest of all items mentioned. Unfortunately, I've ordered breakfast sandwiches and none have been good. In fact, none of the breakfast items I've ordered have been good. Overall it's still my favorite local place

Oh my goodness. The food is so good. Good taste, portion sizes are good and the cornbread. THE BEST CORNBREAD! And the best part is it's open 24 hours. Please get the cinnamon roll. No get two you will thank me later.

Food is very tasty. I've been here before and always enjoy the flavor of their chicken and sides. My reason for not giving a 5star is because the 2 guys serving the food were taking their caps off, then scratching and rubbing their hair. This is so disgusting The crowd was minimal in there initially, and once I observed, I wanted to confront them both - then a swarm of people came in to ear, and a huge line formed. Both of them continued serving without washing their hands. This is so unsanitary and IF I ever return, I will ask them to wash their hands before serving anyone that's with me. I'm disappointed.

Food is tasty but always pre-made so the freshness will vary. Inside, it looks run down, the A/C is broken and they blast Fox News 24/7 so it is one of the more depressing experiences available on Franklin St.

All I can say is - what a disappointment! I have long heard about this place from friends who went to UNC and shows like DD&D and MVF. And it didn't live up to the hype. In fact it was pretty awful. They only get 2 stars because of the space, the history, and the awesome ladies at the counter. The chicken was dry AF at 11am on Saturday (a game day). The macaroni was mush. The cheese was weird. The biscuit itself was awesome. But overall, a disappointing meal that I was sad to cross off my bucket list. I'm guessing this place survives off tradition and most their patrons being drunk off Franklin St.

I am never disappointed with my food or customer service experience at this establishment! The personnel is amazing and the southern hospitality is always appreciated! I got one meat: chicken and two sides: Mac and Cheese and cabbage. The meat was so tender it fell right off the bone. The sides were delicious too and I add sweet tea as my beverage. It wasn't too sweet but just right! If you are in the chapel hill area and near campus, I highly recommend you check them out!

I came in here two days ago to get a breakfast sandwich because they're open 24 hours, I ordered a chicken egg and cheese biscuit and a chicken biscuit. The biscuits were undone. It was barely any cheese on my sandwich and the chicken was very salty. When I asked the staff if the chicken was cut off of the bone, they told me yeah with a attitude. The only great thing about this place was the environment. It felt very welcoming. I might go back and try the dinner food instead of the breakfast food because the breakfast food was not it.

Great place to go for overpriced, mediocre food. Got the country fried steak platter for breakfast. Steak batter was so greasy and salty, that I couldn't eat it. Comes with no gravy. They didn't even have white gravy like country fried steak should have. Eggs and potatos were cold. Wanted to charge $1.50 extra for honey for my biscuit. No free refill on my drink. I agree with the guy who said that college kids would eat anything but I'm not in college anymore so I won't be back. Not exactly something Chapel Hill should be proud of.

One of my favorites when I visit chapel hill. The chicken and cheddar biscuits are the BEST you will ever eat. I used to eat them in college and now 35 years later I have to get one every time I am in town. I don't really like most biscuits but this one is so dense moist and fluffy with crispy chicken breast pulled off the bone and melted shredded cheese. Added an egg to this mornings biscuit. Love the food.

Okay, this is pretty much what you would expect when coming to a 24 hour southern restaurant. The food was already all prepared and is kept warm on display. You choose what you want and they serve it to you pretty much immediately. They have a lot of country sides to choose from. I'm vegetarian so my options were limited. The only vegetarian options they have are some sides (fries, biscuits, collard greens, mashed potatoes, Mac and cheese). The collard greens were pretty good, Mac and cheese was not great, pretty basic, the mashed potatoes were really good and salted perfectly, the biscuits and cornbread are AMAZING, and the cinnamon rolls are also so good. The place itself is really clean and service is really fast.

Any restaurant that's 24/7 can be a hit or a miss, Time Out is a definite hit. After having a long night and an early morning I was starving and just wanted some good breakfast, as I walked in we were greeted with the biggest smile, the place was empty and clean but food for the day was already being prepared, the smell of great southern food permeates the fall air. After talking with Eddy I got some delicious fried chicken, cornbread and macaroni & cheese which was so delicious and well seasoned. Friendly staff, clean space, southern food and a round the clock service, yes please.

Food was plentiful with a good selection of sides. Vegetables are canned and not fresh however still tasty. Macaroni and cheese a bit oily but taste better than most chains. Service was quick and easy. Location right near the college so parking is a little challenging. The restaurant has ample space to seat but decor is out dated.

Food was really good. True southern food. Love the yams and chicken. Always order takeout but always see some of the same customers when I pickup.

AWSOME chicken breast biscuit!! Great drunk food. It's not a dining experience, just a good place for biscuits

Yum yum. 10:30pm on a Friday night biscuit and collard greens. Unfortunately for me, I live in CA and was just visiting for UNC Family Weekend so I can't make this an every Friday night thing.

Consistent good southern style food! Pros: -friendly employees -accurate orders -large portions -open 24/7 -reasonable prices -numerous side options to choose from -not particularly healthy, but delicious food I especially enjoy their Lima beans, cabbage, and corn bread. My fiancé likes their fried chicken, Mac n cheese, and yams. We have been coming here at their current location and previous location for years and will continue to do so.

this was my first introduction to southern food as a californian, can confidently say i will be thinking about this meal for YEARS to come. everything 10/10

So i go to Hillsborough once in a while for some ice cream, this time I wanted to have something to eat so I found this place and decided to try it, i didn't know the place was future on Man vs food. I had the chicken biscuit and cheese sandwich, and some fried chicken, it was one the best chicken biscuits that i have had, personally I don't like fried chicken that much but it was good, fries were good and the corn bread really good. The service was really good, the guy was very nice and helpful. I will come back.

Awh man, this place is MUST! The food is a 10/10. This is comfort food heaven. I have told everyone about it. Go see for yourself. And the owner is so cool and down to earth. Will be going back l soon

Always open late, probably the only food open in chapel hill on the weekends after the bars close. Decent soul food, perfect for a late night meal after parting with friends in Franklin.

Great little spot for a good meal in the heart of Chapel Hill! Everything on the menu is good and the service is fast and polite as well! 10 out of 10; definitely recommend

I actually never imagined I would eat here because I've never walked down Franklin st drunk at 2 am but when thanksgiving rolled around, I realized I didn't make large enough sides to go around so seeing as they were open, I ordered mashed potatoes and gravy, collard greens and Coleslaw and I haven't stopped eating here since. I haven't tried anything other than sides yet but I love keeping a quart of my favorites in the fridge at the ready. I'd definitely recommend, especially since you can get family size of most things.

I really don't understand how people enjoy the food here sober. It is only in business due to their hours and the fact that drunk college kids will eat anything at 2am, especially if you're the only place open. Once got fries here and they even managed to screw those up, scalding hot on the outside while practically still frozen in the center.

I will start by saying the customer service was great! Both gentlemen helping us with our order were patient and friendly. The food was really good!!! Reminded me of my grandmas fried chicken - nicely seasoned and perfect crunch. They made my okra to order so that was nice - piping hot and fresh. There were so many other sides I wanted to try .. (mash potatoes, cabbage, and Mac n cheese! But I'll save that for my next visit.) Environment was clean and very much gave the feeling of a UNC hometown restaurant with the decor and sports channel playing. Awesome that they are open 24/7! If I lived closer I'd probably go once a week. :-)

I saw this place on TV a few years ago and promised myself I'd visit! Well, it was well worth the wait. The staff was friendly and the food was fresh and hot. You can tell how they sold over 5 million since opening their doors.

This place was recommended by an alumni and we went to try their famous Cheddar Chicken Sandwich. We also got the friend chicken with fries. The fried chicken was pretty flavorful but the biscuit was slightly dry. It's worth trying if you're in the area .

I don't eat here anymore after I stopped eating unhealthy "junk" food, but it's fun to think about it--even though it makes me hungry It moved down the street so I like to think about what the food at the new one must be like. It was a whole time and place for me, but not anymore.

Reasonably priced food close to UNC available 24/7. It was decent. Almost everything is made in advance. Not a place to go for healthy food. The fried chicken was moist with a nice seasoned breading on it. Pretty good Mac and cheese, green beans are over cooked sitting in water for a long time, fries are crinkle cut and made to order, and biscuits are HUGE- more bread than flaky texture. Free cinnamon biscuit with Yelp check in was tasty. Counter service, staff did bring out fries when they are done and checked on us mid- meal.

It's a place to try but...so the chicken cheddar biscuit is delicious. Made with a great piece of chicken but they microwave the cheddar and bottom biscuit to melt cheese. Still pretty good. The sides not so much. So I would skip the sides and stick to the biscuit sandwich. The sides are not made in house. Service is slow but again I thought the sandwich was delicious and so cheap. So I would try it

I recently tried the Fried Chicken dinner from Time-Out Restaurant. This was via Doordash delivery, so I can't speak to the dine-in experience, but the food overall was pretty good. The chicken was well prepared, there were a number of side dishes available (I chose mac & cheese and potato salad), and the biscuit was a hit, too. Good, hearty southern food.

Was in Chapel Hill on work assignment for Google and since I moved to Pittsburgh, I had a craving for some good Southern food. After seeing that Time-Out was on DDD, I decided to try. ANY college town will have a hole in the wall place and Time-Out doesn't disappoint. It's a cafeteria-style place where you tell the good folks behind the counter what you want and they give it to you. Fried and baked chicken, mac and cheese, lima beans and corn. They have all the down home favorites we all love. I got the fried whole chicken wings with limas and corn, and cabbage. The wings were well seasoned and fried nice and crispy. I LOVE lima beans and have never had them with corn together, but a nice way to sneak more veggies I guess. You cannot go wrong with anything here. Take a time-out and check them out!

We arrived at RDU late and discovered that Time-Out was open, so we had to have a meal there right away. A very comfortable, friendly place with plenty of tasty, imaginative comfort food - we loved it and can recommend it to anyone visiting Chapel Hill!

The fact that this place is open 24/7 is perfect and it truly is the late night food for hunger or even a drunken night! We stumbled upon this after a night out and it is delicious! It is truly the late night or early morning food. The cheddar chicken biscuit was so good! It was buttery, crispy and moist all in one. I would say I wish the food was more fresh, it had been sitting out for a while and was no longer hot.

Ordered drumstick, Mac and cheese and an additional drumstick. Ordered this in person and no drumstick arrived. Overall for quality, subpar. Might have been on Man vs Food but food is lacking.

Delicious fried chicken, ham rolls, and friendly servive! The catering makes the most discriminating guest satisfied and impressed!

Not the best picture, but definitely one of the best chicken biscuits I've ever had in my life. Been here a few times ever since watching the Diner, Drive Ins, & Dives episode. The mac n cheese is pretty good too.