It’s a time of mourning for beloved San Antonio taco chain Las Palapas, which took a moment to reflect on Wednesday, March 11, following the loss of one of its own. Gene Larsen, the owner of Las Palapas’ Leon Springs location, died on February 26, 2026. He was 88 years old.
The local chain known for its stellar food deals took to social media to share the news of Larsen’s death and offer condolences to his family.
“Gene was a man of extraordinary drive and vision. After a distinguished career in technology, including co-founding what is now Sirius Solutions, he brought that same dedication and entrepreneurial spirit to the restaurant industry and to our Las Palapas community,” the restaurant chain wrote in a Facebook post.
An obituary for Larsen said that he made several career moves throughout life, from technology to real estate to marketing. Eventually, he entered the restaurant world with interests in many San Antonio restaurants, such as Earl Abel’s, Stonewerks, Quarry Hofbrau and Las Palapas.
“Gene wasn’t just a franchise owner, he was family. His commitment to this brand and the people he served will be felt for years to come. We are all better for having known him,” Las Palapas CEO Wayne Detmar said in the statement put out by the company.
Larsen is survived by his wife, his children, a grandchild, sisters, nieces and nephews. Services for Larsen will be held privately, as per his wishes. MySA reached out to. Las Palapas for additional comment, but did not hear back at the time of publication.
Las Palapas was founded in San Antonio in 1981. The chain’s founder, Edward “Ron” Acosta, was found stabbed to death inside his Northside home on July 1, 2025. A man who is reportedly Acosta’s nephew, David Ruiz, 38, was formally charged with the murder of Acosta on September 23, 2025.
This article originally published at Longtime San Antonio taco chain mourns the death of ‘extraordinary’ local owner.