The best memories with friends and family happen over a table of good food. That’s why Filipino food is famous for filling up our stomachs…and our hearts!

But did you know that one of the most famous Filipino dishes is a spin on American fried chicken?

In 1945, teacher Maximo Gimenez and his niece Ruby Trota became friends with American soldiers stationed in Manila.

Maximo and Ruby were amazing cooks! But it was Ruby Trota’s fried chicken recipe that became an instant hit with the soldiers. They convinced Maximo to open a cafe.

Maximo couldn’t have imagined that by 2020, the Max’s Group would make $122M (PHP 7.14B).

This is the story of the restaurant at the heart of all kinds of Filipino celebrations.

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🏠 Humble beginnings

In 1945, Maximo Gimenez and his niece Ruby Trota lived across from an army base camp in Quezon City, Manila.  

Stanford-educated Maximo quickly became friends with the American soldiers stationed at the camp. They’d often come over to his house for food and drinks.

The soldiers wanted to pay for their food, but Maximo didn’t let them! He took Filipino hospitality seriously.  

But when Ruby served fried chicken to the soldiers, they were amazed. The fried chicken was unlike any they’d had back home!

The soldiers quickly convinced Gimenez to open up a cafe.

Gimenez called it Maximo’s. He and Ruby sold chicken, steak, and drinks.

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🍗 One step at a time

More and more people were coming to the cafe. They heard about the delicious meals being served in a cafe where everyone was treated like family!

So they opened their first branch. But the soldiers had a hard time pronouncing Maximo’s. So they changed their name to Max’s!

Since then, Max’s has opened over 180 branches all over the Philippines.  

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🇺🇲 Going international

But they knew that people would love Max’s abroad!

In 1982, Erlinda Trota Fuentebella, Ruby Trota’s daughter, moved to San Francisco. She opened the first Max’s restaurant there that year.

The Filipino-American community loved having this restaurant nearby. It made them still feel connected to their Filipino roots.

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🫂 Food for the soul

So what makes Max’s so successful? “The personal connection we have with the brand is what drives us forward,” says third-generation owner Jim Fuentebella. “Generosity and hospitality, which are virtues my lola (grandmother) lived, are messages we want to communicate on all levels.”

From the restaurant’s warm lighting to the friendly staff, every detail is planned to make customers feel at home.

They celebrate all kinds of gatherings at Max’s. Filipinos love going there for baptisms and birthdays, wedding receptions and work promotions.

And of course, Max’s still has the best fried chicken in town! As Jim Fuentebella said, “our fried chicken isn’t an acquired taste. It’s tasty and people enjoy it.”

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👀  Expanding the group

But Max’s is not the only restaurant under the Max’s Group today.

In 2006, they opened the first Krispy Kreme donut store  in the Philippines.  

It took Max's Group three years to negotiate for franchising rights. They finally opened the first Krispy Kreme branch in 2006. Since then, 102 Krispy Kreme branches have opened in the Philippines.

In 2011, Max’s Group brought in another American icon: Jamba Juice.

Since then, they also acquired other popular restaurants like Yellow Cab Pizza and Pancake House in 2013.

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🐓  Here and now

Even with these different restaurants, Max’s still keeps Filipino families full with their delicious meals.  

Keeping the spirit alive, they now have an impressive range of restaurants to choose from!

Their restaurants are so popular that they now have almost 200 branches in the Philippines, 21 branches in North America, and 4 in the Middle East.

Max and Ruby Gimenez couldn’t have imagined how far their home cafe would go. Now, it’s a world-famous restaurant group that will be loved for years to come.