BUTLER TWP — When Rey Palacios came to the United States nearly 30 years ago, he had little money and could not speak English.

Today, Palacios of Butler Township owns five restaurants. This includes Rey Azteca on New Castle Road and La Casa in Point Plaza, both in the township.

“It's a great country. Everyone's got a lot of chances here,” Palacios, 55, said.

He was born in Hidalgo in central Mexico. He only completed elementary school there, and because of how busy he is running his restaurants, he has not been able to get any further formal education.

Palacios came to the U.S. in 1988 at age 27.

He said part of the challenge of living in Mexico was it was hard to make a good living.

“For some kind of people, there's more chances than for other kinds of people,” Palacios said.

He said he had a number of friends who were able to get visas to come to the U.S., and he saw they were successful.

Palacios said he initially was hesitant to come to America, but he and his wife talked and thought about their future.

“I saw my life without nothing,” Palacios said. “So I said, 'Well, maybe I want to try.'”

So, he got a visa, came to the U.S. and worked in the fields of Florida picking strawberries, tomatoes and other crops.

“I came without anything,” Palacios said.

He also did not speak English. He was able to learn the language using video courses. His boss in Florida ran a store where he sold his crops, and Palacios was able to practice his English by working in the store.

“It was hard, but it's something you have to learn,” Palacios said.

Despite hard work in the fields, he said he was able to continue with the help of his wife and children.

“I always try to be a good worker,” Palacios said.

Sometimes he would help customers who came to the fields to pick their own crops. He said he would get a burst of energy when regular customers would compliment him.

He said his employer was tough, but he learned a lot from him. After five or six years working with him, Palacios said he often would put him in charge.

Palacios stayed in Florida until 2000, the same year he became an American citizen. Sometimes his children would join him in the fields, which made him think hard about his situation at the time.

“All the time, I had been working in the field and it was hard,” Palacios said. “I saw that there was no future in that.”

He was a bit afraid to move because Florida was the only place he had been since coming to the U.S. The thought of starting over was scary, he said.

“It was hard, but it was worth it,” Palacios said.

He had some family in the U.S. who were involved in Mexican restaurants, and they hired him. He moved to North Carolina with his family and stayed there for a year.

While there, he met a friend who recommended he work with another person who owns restaurants. That person offered Palacios the chance to run one of his restaurants. After a year, the man made Palacios a partner.

Together, they started a restaurant in West Virginia, though it didn't last long.“I didn't have a lot of experience,” Palacios said.His partner decided to give him another chance and helped him open Rey Azteca in 2003 along with Palacios' brother.Palacios' daughter, Diana, said part of the reason he has been successful is his palate for Mexican food. She also said the restaurant staff does a good job of making customers feel welcome.After Rey Azteca, he opened another restaurant in Youngstown, Ohio, with his brother. Then he opened another restaurant near Philadelphia with another brother.Shortly after that, Palacios and his brothers had a difference of ideas. He spoke with them, and he decided to keep Rey Azteca while letting his brothers keep the other two restaurants. By making this split, Palacios said they avoided a lot of strife.“I don't want to get in a fight with my brothers,” Palacios said.He opened a restaurant in Penn Hills in 2009, but it later closed.In 2010, Palacios opened another Rey Azteca in New Kensington. In 2011, he opened one in Irwin, and he opened another in Monroeville in 2012.In 2013, he closed the Irwin Rey Azteca location but reopened it in a different section of Irwin, this time calling it Acapulco.On March 14, Palacios opened La Casa Mexican Restaurante near the original Rey Azteca.Because it is so close to his other restaurant, the food is different — “more gourmet,” he said.He hired a chef for the restaurant, the French-trained Yani Sanchez.Sanchez said the food is Mexican, but she will use French techniques.One of the signature dishes is carne asada made with filet mignon and featuring bacon and mushrooms. Additionally, she said a special guacamole is made with mango, basil and queso fresco, and the restaurant will feature homemade tortillas and desserts.After La Casa, Palacios said he would like to open more restaurants in the area.“That's the idea,” he said. “Butler needs another two or three restaurants.”He said so many people who want to open restaurants do it in Pittsburgh or Cranberry Township. He said his employer in Florida taught him about the importance of doing business locally.“I live in Butler, and we need to keep the money in Butler,” Palacios said. “Our money is in Butler, and we spend the money in Butler.”Palacios' three children also work in the restaurants. When Palacios wants to retire or settle down, the plan is for his children to keep the restaurants in the family.