The unusual scene has been unfolding at the Jack in the Box at 1110 C Street, near City College in downtown San Diego. The location remains listed as open on the fast food chain's website, with its drive-thru operating into the early morning hours.
According to reporting by ABC 10News, water began pouring from fixtures mounted around the restaurant as a prerecorded announcement played outside. The approximately 25-second recording begins by addressing "loiterers" before instructing people near the drive-thru to move along.
The recording becomes considerably more unusual from there.
"Buy something or bounce. The clown is watching … Move. Now. Jack says so."
The apparent reference to the chain's longtime Jack mascot accompanies a water system that people in the area said began operating last week. According to 10News, the water activates in three areas around the restaurant at intervals of several minutes, apparently without a countdown immediately before each cycle.
While the message appears directed at people lingering around the property, those caught in the water reportedly haven't been limited to people experiencing homelessness.
One woman told the station she had just purchased a breakfast sandwich from the restaurant when she walked outside to her electric bicycle and was sprayed. She said both she and the bike were soaked and claimed the water subsequently caused the bicycle to squeak when ridden.
Another woman, who told the station she was not homeless, said she was also drenched. She questioned what could happen if an elderly person or someone using a mobility device happened to be standing beneath the system when it activated.
A man experiencing homelessness similarly told 10News that he was sitting outside with his eyes closed when water suddenly poured down on him. Neighbors acknowledged to the station that people experiencing homelessness sometimes gather around the restaurant.
The controversy prompted a response from Jack in the Box, which distanced the company from the language used in the recording and said it had not approved the message.
According to a statement provided to 10News, the company said the location uses an audio-based device intended to help maintain a safe and clean environment for customers and employees. Jack in the Box said the specific voice recording "does not reflect Jack in the Box's brand standards or values" and had been immediately disabled after the company learned of it.
The company also disputed the characterization of the water as an anti-loitering sprinkler system. Jack in the Box described it instead as a "ground-surface cleaning mechanism" designed to automatically clean the ground between routine pressure washings and said it is not positioned to interfere with customers or pedestrians.
That explanation contrasts with the experiences described by multiple people who told the television station they had personally been soaked by the system, including at least one paying customer who had just exited the restaurant.
Jack in the Box nevertheless acknowledged the broader issue surrounding the downtown location, saying it recognizes the importance of treating everyone in the community, including people experiencing homelessness, with dignity and respect. The company said its goal is to keep the surrounding neighborhood peaceful while maintaining a clean and safe restaurant for customers and employees.
The incident has quickly attracted attention online, in no small part because of the almost surreal language of the recording. A Reddit discussion about the report drew hundreds of votes and comments within hours, with reactions ranging from outrage over people being sprayed to support for businesses taking stronger measures to prevent people from congregating around their properties.
The episode is particularly notable given Jack in the Box's deep San Diego roots. The company's corporate headquarters remain in San Diego, and the chain operates numerous restaurants throughout the city, including another downtown location on Pacific Highway.
Whatever the intent of the C Street water system, the combination of unsuspecting pedestrians getting soaked and a disembodied voice declaring "The clown is watching" created precisely the sort of attention the restaurant presumably wasn't seeking.
Jack in the Box says the offending audio recording has now been disabled. The company has not indicated in its statement whether the ground-cleaning water system itself will be modified or discontinued.
Originally published on October 5, 2026.