t-butylbenzene in highly acidic medium
All 6 positions on the benzene ring are being protonated (the frequency of protonation at the different sites is related to the stability of the carbocation generated) in acidic media, so all of the ions you suggested are being formed.  Protonation at 5 of these positions can only regenerate starting material when one of the two protons at the initial site of protonation is removed (an identity reaction, we could make this pathway visible by running the reaction in deuterio-acid + $\ce{D2O}$).  Protonation of the benzene ring at the carbon bearing the substituent provides a choice.  Either the proton can again be removed or the stable t-butyl cation can be ejected.  All of these things are happening in the reaction, but only removal of the t-butyl group is visible.