Lanny and Joe Lancarte are the eldest grandchildren of Joe T. and Jessie Garcia, the founders of the original Joe T. Garcia’s restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas.

Joe T. Garcia’s was founded in July of 1935 by Joe T. and Jessie “Mamasuez” Garcia, who ran it as a small business alongside their five children, including their youngest daughter, Hope.

With Joe T. bringing the charisma, and Mamasuez delivering mouth-watering enchiladas and handmade tortillas, Joe T. Garcia’s became a Fort Worth staple simply by providing unrivaled service, delicious, authentic Mexican cuisine, and an experience that patrons would wait in line to enjoy.

After Joe T’s passing in 1953, Hope stepped up alongside Mamasuez to continue his legacy.

Joe T. Garcia’s rise to prominence began to accelerate more rapidly during the 1970s, as it became one of the go-to spots for restaurant-goers in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With the ever-increasing popularity came expansion, first with one patio, then another, and another. As the years passed, capacity at Joe T’s increased from 16 to more than a thousand.

Just as Joe T. and Mamasuez passed down the passion and vision that made Joe T. Garcia’s great during the mid-century to their children, Hope did the same.

Two of Hope’s children, Lanny and Joe, are among the seven siblings who’ve continued to carry the torch for Joe T. and Mamasuez to present day, with ongoing annual expansion of the restaurant’s now-famous outdoor seating, and a keen eye for additions and new ideas that have placed Joe T. Garcia’s at the forefront of Fort Worth’s food culture.

Still, despite the growth that Joe T’s has seen over the years, the soul and identity of the restaurant has remained unchanged, as the Lancartes continue to treat their customers like family, and ensure that the experience of each person who walks through their doors is one that they won’t soon forget.

In this episode, we learn how a tiny Mexican restaurant in Fort Worth has not only stood the test of time over the past 87 years, but has continually evolved, expanded and flourished during that time, without losing the small business identity that made it so special back in 1935. Two of the Lancarte children, Joe and Lanny, look back — and forward — at the remarkable story of Joe T. Garcia’s.

Find the episode on Spotify & Apple Podcasts