Cook-Out is remaining quiet about its possible involvement in a College Road restaurant -- and the internet is confused.

A paper trail shows North Carolina company Cook-Out is behind a new taco shop in Wilmington, but the company claims it is in the midst of a "media blackout" on details of its involvement.

Which means the conspiracy theories about its past, and future, will continue.

Search the internet for clues about Taco Roo's, which showed up last month at 429 S. College Road, and you'll come up with Reddit threads of Wilmington foodies asking the same question as everyone else -- what in the world is Taco Roo's?

On these Reddit threads, and on some Facebook posts as well, locals speculated what would go in the former Hardee's location. At first, a wave of chatter started about a possible "dine-in" Cook-Out, when a business document appeared showing Cook-Out as the owner of the property.

In May, an assumed business name certificate was filed by Cook-Out College Road Inc. for the assumed business name Taco Roo's, listed as a "breakfast diner and Mexican fast food" restaurant. Cook-Out president Jeremy Reaves signed the document, filed in New Hanover County. Then, Sept. 23, Reaves submitted a new document, withdrawing the assumed name from Cook-Out. The same day, he turned in another assumed business name certificate, filing the name Taco Roo's under a new company, Roo's Diner Inc.

A corporate official at Cook-Out who handles media relations said the company is in the midst of a "media blackout" on the subject of Taco Roo's, and said he could not "confirm or deny anything."

Feeding your Foodie side: Sign up for our free weekly newsletter for Port City Foodies! The assumed name document was filed in New Hanover County, but noted the name would be used, "in all 100 counties across the state," which could mean Cook-Out plans to add more Taco Roo's locations elsewhere.

In September a sign for "Taco Roos" appeared outside the business, along with a countdown until the opening date. As of Oct. 23, no official website or social media accounts exist for the restaurant. The sign currently gives a lone hint: the tagline, "tacos and chicken."

Want to call? There is a phone number listed in Google for Taco Roo's. But that number really belongs to a UNCW student who was pranked by his friend.

"My friend thought it would be funny because no one knows what Taco Roo's is," he said. "So he added my number."

Jacob Lamonsoff said he received at least 100 calls in the last week. Most want to know if Taco Roo's is open yet and if they can place an order. Others are asking for job interviews, and a few restaurant supply catalogs have left their number, should he need anything when Taco Roo's opens.

After the many calls, Lamonsoff said the restaurant is still a mystery to him, too -- he hasn't picked up any additional information in all his many conversations.

"It's kind of weird that I've had the number for this long and I haven't received one call or text from the real owners saying 'Hey, we have this new restaurant and people are calling you about it,'" Lamonsoff said. "You would think someone would reach out by this point."

Reporter Ashley Morris can be reached at 910-343-2096 or Ashley.Morris@StarNewsOnline.com.