The sign, which features Buc-ee's unmistakable beaver mascot alongside the words "Coming Soon!!! Rancho Bernardo," was recently installed on a construction fence surrounding the former El Torito property at 16375 Bernardo Center Drive. The site has been undergoing demolition work in recent weeks, prompting some passersby to wonder whether the massive convenience store chain could actually be headed to Northern San Diego County.
The mystery quickly exploded online after a local resident posted a photo of the sign to Reddit, asking, "Are they building a Buc-ee's in San Diego?" The post quickly generated hundreds of comments from hopeful fans, skeptics and curious San Diegans debating whether the wildly popular chain could really be expanding into California.
For many San Diegans, the idea wasn't entirely far-fetched. Buc-ee's has become one of the country's most recognizable travel center brands, famous for its massive convenience stores, spotless restrooms, Texas barbecue, fresh fudge, Beaver Nuggets and endless aisles of branded merchandise. Earlier this month, the company opened its first Arizona location in Goodyear, bringing the chain closer to California than ever before.
The timing has only added to the intrigue. The 12,000-square-foot restaurant property on the 0.74-acre parcel was recently listed for sale on commercial real estate marketplace LoopNet before quietly being removed from the market. Whether the listing was withdrawn because the property sold, an agreement was reached off-market, or for another reason remains unclear.
Still, several pieces of evidence strongly suggest the Rancho Bernardo sign isn't the real thing. The biggest clue is the property itself. Modern Buc-ee's locations are destination travel centers that typically occupy dozens of acres and feature stores measuring roughly 50,000 to 75,000 square feet alongside anywhere from 80 to 120 fuel pumps. By comparison, the former El Torito parcel consists of a single 12,000-square-foot building on less than three-quarters of an acre - far too small to accommodate the type of development Buc-ee's has become known for.
The company's publicly announced expansion plans also don't include California. Buc-ee's recently confirmed upcoming locations in states including Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Florida and North Carolina, but no projects have been announced anywhere in California. Many Reddit users quickly reached the same conclusion.
"It's a gag. Like how there were In-N-Out Coming Soon signs on the East Coast," one commenter wrote. Others recalled similar fake signs appearing in Oregon, Seattle and Los Angeles over the years, while several noted they'd love to see Buc-ee's eventually come to California - just not at the Rancho Bernardo site.
Others claimed they had heard the former El Torito property may instead become a Discount Tire, although SanDiegoVille has not independently confirmed those reports.
The company's publicly announced expansion plans also don't include California. Buc-ee's recently confirmed upcoming locations in states including Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Florida and North Carolina, but no projects have been announced anywhere in California. Many Reddit users quickly reached the same conclusion.
"It's a gag. Like how there were In-N-Out Coming Soon signs on the East Coast," one commenter wrote. Others recalled similar fake signs appearing in Oregon, Seattle and Los Angeles over the years, while several noted they'd love to see Buc-ee's eventually come to California - just not at the Rancho Bernardo site.
Others claimed they had heard the former El Torito property may instead become a Discount Tire, although SanDiegoVille has not independently confirmed those reports.
There also appears to be another likely explanation for the recent activity at the site. City of San Diego records show the property already has an issued Conditional Use Permit authorizing a cannabis outlet within approximately 6,453 square feet of the existing building. The permit, approved in May 2025, remains active through February 2029. While it remains unclear whether that approved project will ultimately move forward, the permit suggests the property has already been entitled for an entirely different use than a Buc-ee's travel center.
Whether the Buc-ee's banner was intended as a practical joke, guerrilla marketing or simply a prank by an ambitious fan, it succeeded in capturing San Diego's attention.
Whether the Buc-ee's banner was intended as a practical joke, guerrilla marketing or simply a prank by an ambitious fan, it succeeded in capturing San Diego's attention.
For now, however, San Diego's Buc-ee's dreams remain just that. Unless the Texas chain makes an unexpected and unannounced entrance into California, the mysterious Rancho Bernardo banner appears to be another well-executed prank that briefly convinced many that one of America's most beloved roadside destinations was finally on its way.
Originally published on July 5, 2026.
