MAX’S Restaurant is continuing its planned local and international expansion this year including opening two locations in the United States, despite the tough economic times

Robert Trota, president of Max’s Restaurant, told reporters on Wednesday that the company is opening a store in New Jersey and in Hawaii within the year to increase its presence in the US to eight outlets.

Currently, Trota said Max’s has two company-owned and four franchised outlets in the US. The two new branches will also be franchised stores.

Aside from the US, Trota said there are ongoing negotiations with prospective franchisees in the Middle East.

Locally, Trota said the company is opening at least six branches for the year, mostly inside the super malls that are set to open including Naga, Tarlac, Laoag and Calamba, Laguna. It will also open a branch in Calapan by the end of the year.

He said the company is growing by 6 percent locally, although he did not provide details.

“People are still spending that is why the company continues to grow,” he said at the sidelines of the Philippine International Franchise Conference and Expo 2009 on Wednesday at the Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila.

Max’s already has 119 outlets nationwide, 55 of them owned by franchisees.

Trota said a Max’s franchised store requires P10 million to P20 million as startup capital.

Max’s Restaurant’s beginnings started in 1945, after World War II when Maximo Gimenez open a café in Quezon City to cater to American soldiers.

The café initially served chicken, steak and drinks. A special recipe for chicken was later added to the menu.

Over the years, Max’s Restaurant’s popularity grew and became known as “the house that fried chicken built.”  It opened its doors to franchising for the first time in the second quarter of 1998.