Countless economists have tried to account for the staggering success of the still-thriving Monster House business. Could the food really be as good as all that? Well, multiple sources claim that it is, and then some - but by all accounts, that isn't all.
No, but for certain, Monster House's success is directly attributable to the immense creativity and drive of Maximum Taste himself. The affordable yet delicious bill of fare is merely one of the multiple selling points that Monster House boasts. Just as significant, if not more so, is Max Taste's continued dedication to expansion. Many would-be entrepreneurs, content to rest on their laurels, would have stopped when there was a Monster House at every five blocks within Bastion. Not Max. Instead, he almost seemed to view his own success as further spur to action, and promptly went on to conquer newer, unclaimed demographics. With the help of Wound & Wound Enterprises, he exported his food to the Wasteland, catering - quite literally - to the needs of travelling workers, and pragmatic hunters on the go. He even ran a deluxe Monster Meat delivery service, sending individually-designed Monster meat dishes to those with the skill or the money to send him rare Monster-based delicacies from beyond the city gates.
A great deal of this can be traced back to Monster House's struggles with image at the beginning. After a somewhat rocky start within Bastion, dogged by protesters of various stripes and plagued by business setbacks, Max emerged victorious - and not only that: he was adored. Having proven himself within the city limits, it almost seemed logical to test his marketing mettle against the somewhat more volatile Wastelanders. So far, the experiment has proven a success, with over nine hundred customers per week passing through the doors of the Metrovore branch alone.
As a brand, Monster House has always pushed at the boundaries of what was previously thought possible. As a business model, it is revolutionary. Meanwhile, Maximum Taste appears to be at the top of his game - charming, innovative, and spectacularly rich.
— Extract from The Ultimate Monster Business Compendium, by Affidavit
—
“Sure, you think you know Maximum Taste. The Monster House man, right? The figure on a million billboards. One of the wealthiest fuckers in Bastion: business mogul, Producer and gourmet chef. All that, and happily married to boot - the name that springs to mind when you hear the word 'success'.
“But I tell you: you don't know Maximum Taste. Because here's the secret that very few people know about Max: the greatest thing about him is not that he's rich, and not that he's smart, and not that he's the canniest skies-damned businessperson ever to grace the city with his Arena-sized ads - he's all those things, but that ain't it. No. The thing about Max is, he tries.
“All the damn time. He tries, and he tries, and he never throws in the towel till he's managed to sell that towel for four times the buying price and started up a small, profitable towel side-business. That stubborn son of a gun can't move an inch without some Monster or other trying to chow down on his extremities, but he's still the toughest individual I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.
“Protesters at the gates? He throws a party. Brikquid folds cause it turns out it's poisoning folk? He makes his own skies-damned Brikquid, and makes it better. Arena won't run with no power? He'll organise the entire show, candles and all, week after week, right down to the mini Vegan Monster Rolls available to maintenance staff. This is a guy who I have never seen defeated - not because he hasn't been knocked down before, but because not only will he roll with the punches, he'll do it with a glint in his eye and a smile for the crowd, and all without jostling a curl on that magnificently sculpted head of hair.
“And you wanna know why? Here's an even bigger secret: he cares. Sure, folk'll tell you it's about the money. And maybe it's more than a little about the money. But it's also because he wants to make people happy. He loves people. He loves Bastion. And the city loves him back, because - well, by now, I think you can guess why. Because he does nothing but give to it. So, let's give a hand (and a gold statuette) to the most generous man I know - Maximum Taste!”
– Opening speech from the Trend Award for Exceptional Services to the City, by Skillet
