Max's Restaurant

Max's Restaurant is a Philippine-origin restaurant chain known primarily for its signature fried chicken and a broad menu of Filipino dishes. The brand began in October 1945 in Quezon City, shortly after the end of the Second World War. Its founder, Maximo Gimenez, was a Stanford-educated teacher who had developed a friendship with American occupation troops stationed in the city. The servicemen initially visited Gimenez's home for drinks and informal hospitality, but eventually insisted on paying for the food and beverages being served. This encouraged him to establish a café that could serve them more formally. The first location opened at 21 South F Street, now Scout Tuason Street, in Barrio Obrero, now Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City. The early menu centered on chicken, steak, and drinks. Gimenez was supported by his wife Mercedes, his sister-in-law Felipa Serrano Sanvictores, and his niece Ruby Trota and her husband Claro. Ruby managed the kitchen and developed the fried-chicken recipe that became the restaurant's defining product. The dish first gained popularity among the American servicemen and then spread among Filipino customers who heard about the recipe. Over time, Max's developed from a neighborhood café into a major Philippine restaurant chain. Its expansion reached Metro Manila, other parts of Luzon, Cebu, and overseas markets. The chain has operated restaurants in the United States and Canada and has also expanded into the Middle East, including Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. The reference material identifies more than 170 Philippine branches, alongside locations in several American states and Canadian provinces. A Kuwait location opened in Salmiya in 2016, and a Woodside, New York location opened in 2022. The brand's menu extends beyond fried chicken. Its Filipino offerings include kare-kare, sinigang, lumpia, lechon, pancit, and silog meals. This combination of a highly recognizable signature dish and familiar Filipino comfort food has allowed Max's to function both as a mainstream domestic chain and as a restaurant brand serving Filipino communities abroad. Its historical marketing has emphasized family gatherings and shared meals, reinforcing its role as a sit-down Filipino dining brand rather than a narrowly focused chicken outlet. Max's is owned and operated by Max's Group, a Philippine restaurant company whose portfolio also includes Pancake House, Dencio's, Kabisera, Teriyaki Boy, Sizzlin' Steak, Le Coeur De France, Maple, Yellow Cab, Singkit, and The Chicken Rice Shop. The Max's brand remains associated with Filipino culinary identity, family occasions, and the phrase "Sarap to the bones!", introduced in 1993. Its founding story, signature chicken, domestic scale, and overseas presence make it one of the recognizable Philippine restaurant concepts serving both local and international Filipino diners.

Max's Restaurant was established in October 1945 by Maximo Gimenez in Quezon City, in the immediate postwar period. Gimenez, a Stanford-educated teacher, had become acquainted with American occupation troops who visited his home for drinks and hospitality. When the servicemen began offering to pay for what they consumed, Gimenez opened a café where they could receive meals in a commercial setting. The original restaurant operated at 21 South F Street, a location now identified with Scout Tuason Street in Barangay Laging Handa. The initial café served chicken, steak, and drinks. Gimenez's family played a central role in the early operation. His wife Mercedes and sister-in-law Felipa Serrano Sanvictores assisted with the business, while his niece Ruby Trota managed the kitchen with support from her husband Claro. Ruby created the fried-chicken preparation that became the restaurant's signature. It initially attracted the American servicemen in Quezon City, but word of the recipe soon brought Filipino customers as well. The restaurant subsequently expanded throughout Metro Manila and into other Philippine markets, including Luzon and Cebu. Fried chicken remained the core product, while the menu broadened to include recognizable Filipino dishes such as kare-kare, sinigang, lumpia, lechon, pancit, and silog meals. The brand's operating model combined a recognizable specialty with a broad menu suited to family meals and group occasions. Max's later developed an international footprint. Its overseas locations included the United States, Canada, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. The reference material records locations across several American states, five Canadian cities or metropolitan areas, and a Salmiya, Kuwait opening in 2016. A Woodside, New York branch opened in May 2022. The overseas presence has helped the chain serve Filipino communities while introducing Filipino food to wider customer groups. Marketing has consistently connected the restaurant with Filipino family life. Earlier television and cinema advertising presented Max's as a place where families could gather. In 1993, the brand introduced the slogan "Sarap to the bones!" The company also used celebrity endorsements and narrative advertising. A campaign called "Forever Yours," broadcast from April to June 2004, followed a Max's employee and a childhood acquaintance who had become a television celebrity. The story concluded with the celebrity recognizing the employee at a Max's restaurant. The campaign became widely known and contributed to the public profile of Isabel Oli, who portrayed the employee. The origin story has also entered Philippine popular culture. It was dramatized in the episode "Sino si Max?" of the television anthology Maalaala Mo Kaya. Celebrity endorsers associated with the brand included Gary Valenciano from 1996 to 1999, Piolo Pascual from 2002 to 2011, and Coco Martin from 2012 to 2014. Martin had also worked as a waiter at the chain's Fairview branch in 2001. Today, Max's Restaurant is part of Max's Group, which operates a portfolio of restaurant brands including Pancake House, Dencio's, Kabisera, Teriyaki Boy, Sizzlin' Steak, Le Coeur De France, Maple, Yellow Cab, Singkit, and The Chicken Rice Shop. Max's therefore combines a postwar Philippine origin, a family-developed signature recipe, a large domestic chain network, and international operations under a broader restaurant group.

• 2022

  Woodside, New York location opens

  [1]Max's Restauranten.wikipedia.org

  A new Max's location opens in Woodside, New York, in May.

• 2016

  Salmiya location opens

  [1]Max's Restauranten.wikipedia.org

  Max's opens a location in Salmiya, Kuwait, extending its overseas presence in the Middle East.

• 2004

  Forever Yours advertising series airs

  [1]Max's Restauranten.wikipedia.org

  The brand runs its narrative television advertising series "Forever Yours" from April through June.

• 1993

  Sarap to the bones! slogan introduced

  [1]Max's Restauranten.wikipedia.org

  Max's adopts the slogan "Sarap to the bones!", linking the brand more explicitly with the appeal of its chicken offering.

• 1945

  First Max's café opens in Quezon City

  [1]Max's Restauranten.wikipedia.org

  Maximo Gimenez establishes the first Max's café in October at 21 South F Street, now Scout Tuason Street, in Quezon City.

A family-oriented Filipino restaurant brand built around a distinctive fried-chicken recipe, traditional local dishes, and communal dining.

• Main dish · 1945

  Signature fried chicken

  Max's fried chicken is the brand's defining product and the dish most closely associated with its identity. The recipe was developed by Ruby Trota, who managed the kitchen during the restaurant's early years. It first became popular with American servicemen in postwar Quezon City and later attracted Filipino customers. The dish anchors the menu and the brand's long-running chicken-centered marketing.

• Filipino entrée

  Kare-kare

  Kare-kare is one of the traditional Filipino dishes served by Max's. Its inclusion broadens the brand beyond its signature chicken and supports the restaurant's family-style positioning. It forms part of the menu's distinctly Filipino range and is offered alongside other familiar local dishes.

• Filipino entrée

  Sinigang

  Sinigang is included among Max's traditional Filipino menu offerings. The dish contributes a familiar home-style option to the chain's broader selection, allowing customers to combine the signature fried chicken with established Filipino comfort-food choices.

• Filipino dishes

  Lumpia, lechon, pancit, and silog meals

  Max's menu also includes several widely recognized Filipino preparations, including lumpia, lechon, pancit, and silog meals. Together these products reinforce the chain's positioning as a broad Filipino restaurant rather than a single-product chicken specialist. They are suited to individual orders as well as shared family dining.

• 2004Forever Yours

  Philippines

  This television and cinema advertising series followed a Max's employee and a former childhood acquaintance who had become a television celebrity. The story moved between their childhood and adult lives and ended with a recognition scene at Max's.

  Outcome. The campaign became popular and helped launch Isabel Oli's show-business career.

  Source
• 1993Sarap to the bones!

  Philippines

  Max's introduced the slogan "Sarap to the bones!" as a memorable expression of its chicken-focused brand promise.

  Outcome. Became a long-running brand slogan associated with Max's chicken.

  Source

1. 1Max's Restauranten.wikipedia.org