Melinda Lou “Wendy” Thomas-Morse, born on September 14, 1961, is the daughter of American businessman Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s. She is the namesake and mascot of the fast food brand, and her real-life appearance inspired the iconic mascot, featuring a young girl with red pigtails. The logo helped establish Wendy’s as a relatable and family-friendly brand.
The original Wendy’s logo and mascot, introduced in 1969, featured a young girl with distinctive red pigtails, intentionally crafted to stand out. The pigtails extending beyond the circular boundary of the logo, differentiating it from other fast food logos of the time. Wendy Thomas has been acting in advertisements for the company.
The mascot of the food company was based in the likeness of Melinda Lou “Wendy” Morse (née Thomas; born September 14, 1961). The eight-year-old would eventually become the namesake of her father’s restaurant Wendy’s Old Fashioned. The logo underwent subtle changes at first, with the introduction of the Wendy Mascot and the drawing of Wendy’s face.
Wendy’s is an American international fast food restaurant chain founded by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio. The Wendy’s logo was introduced at the end of the 1960s and depicts a funny red-haired girl, Melinda Lou “Wendy” Thomas-Morse, the daughter of the Burger Kin mascot, known as “The King”. The mascot has been around in various forms since 1955, including cartoons, animated puppets, and puppets.
📹 Dave Thomas The Man Behind Wendy’s
Weird History Food is going through the drive-thru for some Wendy’s. Dave Thomas is best known for founding Wendy’s …
Who is the real Wendy’s girl?
Melinda Lou “Wendy” Thomas-Morse, born on September 14, 1961, is the daughter of American businessman Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s. She is the namesake and mascot of the brand and uses the name Wendy Thomas in her role as a spokesperson. Born in Columbus, Ohio, she grew up in Upper Arlington and was the fourth child of Dave and Lorraine Thomas. As a child, she struggled with pronunciation and became known by her nickname Wendy.
She eventually became the namesake of her father’s restaurant, Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers, and her likeness was used as the Wendy’s logo in the form of a young freckle-faced girl in red braids. Thomas graduated from the University of Florida in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in consumer behaviorism.
Who is Wendy’s girl in real life?
Wendy’s, a popular hamburger chain in the U. S., was originally named Melinda Lou Thomas, but later changed to Wendy due to pronunciation difficulties. The nickname evolved into Wendy, which eventually became the name of the chain. Despite the iconic Wendy’s logo, which features an eight-year-old Wendy wearing a blue and white striped dress, pigtails that defy gravity, and a sparkling smile, Thomas later regretted naming the restaurant after Wendy, stating that it caused too much pressure and took away some of Wendy’s privacy. He suggested that the restaurant should have been named after himself.
How old is Wendy’s son?
Former Wendy Williams Show host Wendy Williams welcomed her first child, Kevin, 24, with her ex-husband Kevin Hunter in 2000. In 2019, she split with Hunter after claiming he fathered a child with another woman. Their divorce was finalized in 2020. Despite Hunter’s apology, he never confirmed the allegation. Wendy shared on The View in September 2019 that her son is doing well, coping with the split and being surrounded by family, including two great cousins.
Is Wendy’s mascot a clown?
The mascots of well-established brands such as McDonald’s and Wendy’s have contributed to their long-standing visibility in the American public. However, some mascots are based on real individuals. For example, Wendy’s redheaded, pigtailed girl, who is still alive today, served as the inspiration for the Wendy’s mascot. This underscores the significance of mascots in enhancing brand visibility and authenticity.
Is Wendy’s older than McDonald’s?
The McDonald brothers opened their first restaurant in 1948, leading to the emergence of several fast-food chains such as Burger King, Taco Bell, and Wendy’s. Some chains, like Carl’s Jr., KFC, and Jack in the Box, existed before the Speedee Service System’s debut but modified their cooking techniques. McDonald’s, the world’s largest fast-food chain, had sales of $163. 5 billion in 2005. The industry is growing globally, with McDonald’s having 30, 000 franchised stores in over 120 countries.
However, McDonald’s has faced criticism in several countries, including the United States, China, Belgium, Holland, India, Russia, Sweden, and the U. K., for selling unhealthy food, aggressively marketing to children, and undermining local values and culture.
What is Wendy’s age?
On November 15, 1969, Dave Thomas opened his first Wendy’s restaurant in Columbus, Ohio. The chain quickly gained popularity for its square beef patties and iconic Frosty® desserts. Wendy’s introduced the first modern drive-through, the “Pick-Up Window”, which required customers to talk through the speaker to place an order. The name was changed to “drive-in window” to attract cruisers and joyriders.
In Canada, Wendy’s opened its first international restaurant in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, bringing the beef to the country. The chain’s success and innovation have made it a global leader in the fast-food industry.
Is the Wendy’s mascot an adult?
Wendy’s, an American fast food chain, has a red-haired, freckled young girl named Wendy Thomas, based on the real-life Wendy Thomas, daughter of its founder Dave Thomas. Wendy was nominated in Miss /co/ 2020 due to her appearances in the restaurant’s animated commercials, qualifying as a 105th seed. She lost to Starfire in the bracket and will be allowed for future editions under the grandfather clause.
Wendy’s popularity online may be attributed to her Twitter account, which gained fame for its “savage” and witty responses, and spawned an online fan art craze. The character indirectly influenced the nominations of other advertisement-based characters in later /co/ tournaments.
How old is the original Wendy’s?
Dave Thomas, a passionate hamburger lover, opened the first Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, on November 15, 1969. After trying five names for the restaurant, he chose his daughter Melinda’s nickname, Wendy, which he believed would represent the traditional hamburger experience with fresh beef. The menu featured hot, juicy hamburgers, rich, meaty chili, French fries, soft drinks, and a Frosty Dairy Dessert.
Dave aimed to provide great food, made fresh, and served by friendly people without cutting corners on quality. Wendy’s became known for its square ground beef hamburgers that hang over the bun, with customers choosing their preferred toppings.
The Wendy’s Pick-Up Window concept, which was originally designed as an add-on to the building to generate extra sales, was born in 1970 in the first freestanding restaurant. Originally designed as an add-on to the building, it proved to be the catalyst that propelled Wendy’s from a four-store Columbus chain into a food service phenomenon.
What is Wendy real name?
Wendy, born on February 21, 1994, is a South Korean singer and member of the girl group Red Velvet. She made her solo debut in 2021 with the song “Like Water”. Wendy was born in Seoul, South Korea, and showed interest in singing at the age of six. She is also proficient in various instruments, including piano, guitar, flute, and saxophone. She moved to Canada with her sister, Shon Seung-hee, to study abroad. She studied at Shattuck-Saint Mary’s in Minnesota, where she earned numerous awards for academics and music-related activities.
She began using her English name “Wendy Shon” and later studied at Richmond Hill High School in Ontario. Despite her parents’ initial opposition, Wendy auditioned for SM Entertainment in 2012 and was cast in the company’s predebut group SM Rookies. She trained for less than two years before making her official debut as a member of Red Velvet on August 1, 2014. Wendy’s passion for music and her ability to play various instruments led her to pursue a career in music.
What is the old Wendy’s mascot?
The Wendy’s logo and mascot, introduced in 1969, featured a young girl with red pigtails, a distinctive design that set it apart from other fast food logos. After over four decades, Wendy’s modernized the mascot’s appearance while retaining its core elements, thereby ensuring its continued relevance and appeal.
How old is the Wendy’s girl logo?
Wendy’s, the third-largest fast-food chain in the United States, was founded by Dave Thomas in 1969. The iconic logo features a cartoon sketch of his fourth child, Melinda Lou Thomas, affectionately called “Wendy”, with the company’s name in big red letters and the slogan “Old Fashioned Hamburgers” below. The brand’s journey began with Thomas’s adoption of his daughter, Melinda, who inspired the name. The iconic Wendy’s logo features a smiling redheaded girl, similar to Thomas’s daughter.
Under Thomas’s leadership, Wendy’s expanded to 1, 000 stores within a decade. The brand is proudly displayed across 6500 international locations, making it the third-largest restaurant chain globally. The journey of Wendy’s began with Thomas’s adoption of his daughter, Melinda, who passed away at the age of five.
📹 Abandoned by mom and dad, a kid vowed to open the best restaurant: Wendy’s
Dave Thomas was an orphan. Eating hamburgers in restaurants was the only thing that gave him a sense of belonging — and …
Dave was a classy guy. I operated a GED preparation class back in the late 90’s and contacted Dave through Wendy’s headquaters in Dublin, Ohio. He sent me an autographed picture of himself that I put up in the classroom along with fellow GEDers Wally (Famous) Amos, Mary Lou Retton and several others. It was inspiring to the students.
It’s funny. You can definitely tell the difference where for McDonalds, efficiency and profits were the motive for Ray Kroc, where as for Wendy’s quality was the motive for Thomas. You can definitely tell the difference in the effects of that in the products all these years later. Given the choice I’ll pick Wendys every time. It’s just better food.
My husband and I preferred other hamburgers, especially the “King of burgers”. He called Wendy’s burgers “hot & greasy”. Here in the west where some big burger chains are pulling back franchises, Wendy’s hangs on. It has staying power once it is established. I really like the story and Dave Thomas’ life.
I often go to Wendy’s and enjoyed this article. Even went to the first Wendy’s once. Very proud of Dave Thomas. He had a commercial where he simply said, “I’m adopted.” It was for his adoption fund. I liked that most of all. New favorite food: Italian Mozzarella Cheeseburger! From a long-time Columbus, Ohio customer 😋
I grew up in northeast Ohio and when the first Wendy’s opened near us it immediately became my favorite burger place. I’ve been living overseas for over 20 years now but still try to get to a Wendy’s whenever I’m back in the US. No doubt in my mind that Dave Thomas was an outstanding person in so many ways.
I used to eat there to visit my ex girlfriend at the original Wendy’s when she was working right before they ended up closing it. He also had a house in the middle of buckeye lake (about 30 miles from Columbus) that you could see from the shore. I was younger when he passed away but people around town used to say that he was pretty nice and a friend of mine who works at one of the “original 5” Wendy’s his daughter (Melinda who everyone calls Wendy) still visits those locations around Columbus all the time and is very sweet and involved in the community supposedly.
I still remember when Dave Thomas was in the advertisements for Wendy’s, gave them a very wholesome vibe like they were independent, and it was backed by the fact that their meals were better than McDonald’s or Burger King’s. Kind of feels cool to have been alive for that, I had no idea about his story with KFC.
This was such an enjoyable and educational article on the origin of Wendy’s and its founder Dave Thomas. Ever since I have watched and experienced the biopic movie The Founder, which was about the backstory of McDonald’s, I’ve become extremely interested and invested in learning about the backstories and founders of other fast-food organizations. Needless to say, It was a very fun experience doing some research and perusal this article to learn about Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s. Also, I actually hope to become a professional filmmaker one day as I would love to start directing and making movies at some point in my life. The reason I wanted to bring that up is because to be perfectly honest here, I would love to make a biopic movie on both the origin story of both Wendy’s and its founder Dave Thomas to essentially both explain and show who Dave Thomas is/was and to celebrate his extraordinary legacy that he left behind in this world. A big reason on why I’m so interested in making a Wendy’s/Dave Thomas biopic as well, is because it seems Dave Thomas really was an extremely kind and humble person, making him a good contrast and polar opposite to say, Ray Kroc, the “founder” of McDonald’s.
Dave Thomas reached out to a lot of his friends in the early days for funding. My grandfather was one of the, but said no. Turns out I have met a handful of folks in Columbus who also had family that were propositioned with a Wendy’s investment. They all said no, they all regret it. Dave Thomas was a wonderful person with a fantastic foundation to help orphans. He is beloved in Columbus, Ohio. Myself, my father and my grandfather all have a tradition of taking our sons to Wendy’s after a long day of work. Sadly, the first Wendy’s in downtown Columbus has closed.
I “worked for Dave” for my obligatory “burger flipping job” in highschool in the late 70s. Of the fast food joints, it was better than others. Wendy’s hadn’t loaded up the menu yet. Single, doubles and triples, one size each of fries, chili, and frosty. The burgers were fresh, working the grill, I had to watch the number of cars coming on the lot to add meat to the grill and drop fries to keep them fresh. The sandwich veggies were fresh, we used name brand condiments and ingredients in the chili and we all actually took pride in making good food. Things are different these days… 🙄
Wow. Living in Indonesia especially now in the 2020s, Wendy’s name in the fast food game has been well eclipsed by the likes of McDonalds, KFC & Burger King to the point where most simply see it as relics of their childhood. After perusal this though, I’ve gained so much more appreciation for the brand’s history & ethos and hoping that it would stick around for much longer! Might go fetch a Wendy’s burger now
I used to work around the corner from the Wendy’s HQ in Dublin, OH back in 1998-1999. There was a Wendy’s on the corner of Riverside and Dublin-Granville a block away from the HQ, I don’t think it’s there anymore. It had the VERY best fast food I’ve ever had. Holy mackerel was it good. The only complaint I had is that there was this one guy who worked there, it seemed he’d take it personally if I asked for extra ketchup, giving me a dirty look. There were a bunch of other locations around Columbus, and it seemed like whenever I went to one while driving around for work, that same guy was there and gave me a dirty look when I asked for extra ketchup. Wendy’s is still my favorite fast food place.
I remember many years ago we had Wendy’s in Ireland and the UK and I used to like the food. But they upped the sticks and left. I spent two summers in America in the late nineties so got to experience their food again which was great. They are supposed to be setting up again in the UK but I have not seen a restaurant yet.
I only know more about him than other restaurant founders because I’m from Fort Wayne, Indiana and Wendy’s is very popular there for that reason. Like, he wasn’t even born there, he’s known for living and working there. Fort Wayne doesn’t have a lot of genuine celebrities that are natives (except for Jenna Fischer, she’s a sweetheart), just famous people who lived there for an extended period of time, like Stephen King, Philo Farnsworth, and Dave Thomas.
Wendy’s has been involved in the NASCAR sponsorship business Especially in recent times with Noah Gragson behind the wheel in a One-Off race in the 2022 Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway driving the #62 Chevrolet Camaro for Beard Motorsports and the following year in 2023 driving the #42 Chevrolet Camaro for Legacy Motor Club and in 2024 Wendy’s have begun their sponsorship deal with Trackhouse Racing sponsoring both drivers: Ross Chastain (Driver of the #1 Chevrolet Camaro) & Daniel Suarez (Driver of the #99 Chevrolet Camaro)
My favorite menu is the Baconator, here in Guatemala when Wendy`s came I always tried many of the burgers, the spicy chicken burger was great but the baconator, drool there is no day I can`t thank enough for that burger, no matter what they say or try to offer me others, the baconator from wendy`s is still the best burger ever created.
One of his influences was the Kewpee Hotel restaurant when he was growing up in Kalamazoo, MI. When he was starting Wendy’s he got ideas from the still operating Kewpee locations in Lima, Ohio. Kewpee was founded in Flint, MI (where the locations became Halo Burger) and celebrate their centennial next year.
I worked for Wendy’s a thousand years ago, back in the 80s, when Dave was still around and in charge. I never met him, but my manager did. She said he was a sweetheart of a guy, if you met his standards. If you didn’t, you were given the chance to improve and if you didn’t, you were gone. That simple. You have to respect that.
Where’s the beef, Burger King played on this. Especially after McDonald’s was said to use worms, which you can’t tell the difference anyway. But Burger King said, 100% pure beef. Wendys used to have a fresh moist hamburger, where juices were running out of the Burger when opened and they were hot and fresh. Not any more, where condiments are needed to moisturize the sandwich. Which they might have reverted to cooking patties ahead of time, maybe. Then maybe nuking them to warm them. They aren’t the quality burgers they used to be. But at one time, they did have better staff, where even Burger King had a good burger. But that was Louisiana long ago. South Carolina???? Uhhh, well, it has issues, at least north charleston.
When he died in 2002 Wendy’s burgers were still amazing. The square patties were way bigger than the bun. Quality was synonymous with the brand. Always ordered the triple cheeseburger and it was massive. The burgers were delicious too. But for some unknown reason circa 2009/10/11 they changed everything, made the patties fatter but smaller. The square sides of the patty were barely outside of the bun. The taste of the burger was still ok but not the same as the early 2000s. Then it got worse during the late 2010s around 2018/19/20 until present day. Dry patties and it broke down easily. Wendy thomas destroyed her father’s legacy by resorting to “dave’s hot n juicy” which is a far cry from Dave’s real burgers. Unfortunately quality has eluded wendy’s nowadays. Disappointing
Dave Thomas was involved in the development of Boston Market (Boston Chinken back them) I was in high school in the early 90s, when I got recrutid to work for Boston Chicken in Corona Del Mar, California. Dave was genuently happy to talk to a bunch of high school kids from Estancia & Corona Del Mar high school. Such a classy guy!
Wendy’s I love you. 😘 I salute you. We did need the meat of the word, we did need women of wisdom. Irish people…. I am with you. Bacon lovers, people of the world, we had become nations of gluttony and greed and “I need”need, need; but you made it enjoyable and I love your Spicy chicken sandwich and I miss the chicken and Swiss spicy chicken sandwich the best. I miss it. Where is that??? 😊 Where’s the chicken? 🐔 I’m glad you had it. I hear the rooster crowing so do it again!!! I’m rooting for you and you’re part of my green pasture and my heart, I have to guard it with all diligence but I am loving you still: man of understanding. Grace and peace be unto you and to this place. Will you believe and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal savior??? I do. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. ❤️❤️❤️🤍🤍🤍❤️🔥❣️😊
As a life long Wendy’s consumer, I’d have to say that the quality has gone down in the last decade or so. The fries are absolute junk now. The iced tea is garbage. Then they started adding “flavors” of frosty’s. There’s only one flavor of Frosty. And yes, I have dipped my fries in it. Back when the fries were good still. I used to eat at Wendy’s regularly. Maybe as much as once a week. Now, maybe once every 6 months.
A very rare instance where all the things people say as capitalist propaganda really did work for someone. I’m sure on some level someone got exploited somewhere along the way, but it sounds like the guy was a fairly authentic person and just happened to have the right idea at the right time. and I’m more than happy to die on the hill of a frosty and fries being PERFECTLY GOOD THANKS
Out of the top 3 Wendy’s really does have the best tasting burgers. McDonald’s tastes absolutely awful and BK is just… okay.. Wendy’s is absolutely delicious and it’s a treat anytime I have a burger. Their pink lemonade with real lemons is the best lemonade I’ve ever had as well. Nothing beats a cheeseburger and lemonade with a few chicken nuggets from Wendy’s. Look forward to it every month.
Wendy’s has good service, clean restaurants but lackluster food and it hasn’t gotten better. I remember I used to enjoy the chicken nuggets, and the chicken sandwiches but they just aren’t the quality they used to be. I also tried the new garlic fries which taste nothing like garlic. They taste strongly of herbs. If I have to do fast food, I only go to Wendy’s when there is nothing else around. 🤷🏻♀️ I will say this, IMO after having worked there – ARBY’S! So underrated! Everything is fresh to order and real. There really are roast beefs turning on spits in the back. The kitchen is spotless. Service is great. Its worth the price.
Unfortunately Dave wasn’t cold in his grave when the Suits bagan to make changes. First they changed their delicious fries, then they got rid of the original buns in favor of the Classic” buns which tasted odd to me. They finally brought back the original bun but for the junior burger only. Then the suits destroyed the company by changing the iconic burger patty! I can’t even eat one of their burgers today witout literally getting sick! 😢 I don’t know what’s in their new “processed” patties but whatever it is, my body totally rejects it. I’ve tried three times at three different locations over the past three years and everytime, I’ve had to throw up afterwards. The texture’s different and they look too perfect. Wendy’s won’t even talk to me about it. Wendy’s used to be my favorite burger but sadly, it isn’t anyore. 😔🇨🇦
Wendy’s has no greater hometown fan than this kid in 1969 across Broad street from COSI (Center of Science and Industry).Single, double, triple. I invented the GRAND SLAM HOME RUN! FOUR 1/4# pattys with cheese and all works. Now the Grand Slam Home Run, bases loaded, 3-2 count to win the game:.. getting dad to pay for it LOL (My own Dad was a USAF Samurai Chef)
I live in an area that houses 3 of the remaining few locations of an old burger chain called Kewpee, and idk how accurate it is, but I always hear it repeated around here that the reason Wendy’s has the Frosty is because Dave Thomas used to live near a Kewpee and he liked the frosted malts they sold.
Today’s youth is largely unfamiliar with Dave Thomas, but my generation remembers him well, as he was always on our TVs. After perusal this article, I can see that he was a good, wholesome, man, & I had no idea that he had ever worked for Colonel Sanders. How awesome is that??? I learned something new today, that Wendy is actually named Melinda. Lol, but Melinda’s just doesn’t roll off the tongue well! I also had a bit of a Mandela effect moment, as I seem remember hearing about Dave’s passing in the late ’90s, but apparently, I was wrong, & he passed away in 2002. Boy that Mandela effect is one heck of a mind fuck!!
As a young real estate agent in the early 1990’s one of the first homes I sold was to a young couple moving into the area. Bob was an executive in the Wendy’s Organization. His wife Amy was also an amazing human being. It was easy to see how Dave Thomas built such a successful company. He cared about people.
Heheh, at least 3 countries in Europe won’t have a Wendy’s any time soon. A little fry shop in the Netherlands prevents them from doing so. The founder named the place Wendy’s, after HIS daughter and registered the name for the entire BeNeLux (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburgs). Just b3fore Wendy’s America were trying to do the same. They have been offered 30 million for the name and they have won a number of cases against them, by Wendy’s America. By now it’s more a case of principle, to see how long they can hold up to a big corporation. They are doing that for over a quarter of a century now. Talk about David and Goliath 😂
Little known fact, our Airborne class motto back in March ’84 was “Where’s the Beef?” We sounded off with this every time the cadre called our training company to attention. This attracted the notice of Big Brass who came down and ordered us to change it. We refused. We did a lot of pushups for that motto, and we graduated the most spirited Airborne class that year. Still my favorite burgers, too!
I hope so much that Wendy’s will come back to Germany one day. In the 80s there were 4 Wendy’s restaurants in my hometown of Munich and I loved them. But because a Dutchman now has the rights to the Wendy’s name, the real Wendy’s cannot come back to all EU countries (they went to England after Brexit). Whenever I travel to the US, a visit to a Wendy’s is my first stop. But it would be nice to be able to do that at home in Germany too.
I boycott Wendy’s because of the five largest fast food corporations in the country — McDonald’s, Subway, Burger King, Taco Bell (Yum! Brands), and Wendy’s, they are the only one who have refused to join the Fair Food Program which seeks to ensure better conditions for farmworkers by combating trafficking of people, facilitating partnerships among farmworkers, produce farmers, and food retailers, setting certain codes of conduct and regulations, including access to shade, water, and breaks, and monitoring compliance.
I still think that Wendy’s is worth the price for the taste compared to competitors. Fresh beef, never frozen, never charred (BK), never barely there (MCD). Even Wendy’s chicken nuggets are the tastiest and juiciest. Competitors keep cooked meat in heat warmers until it’s needed for an order, meaning that meat marinates in its own fat for several hours. I always said that if Wendy’s could have a breakfast menu that was as compelling as MCD’s McGriddles and BK’s Hashbrowns and French Toast sticks. Their breakfast potatoes are awesome, but I’m not attracted to the rest of the breakfast menu yet. Give us a grilled shredded steak and onion on a bagel and it’ll be on. Not a fan of crossiants, biscuits, and muffins are only good if they are Thomas’s with real butter. The meats are always good though. From a NJ person, they need pork roll / taylor ham, to make a major difference in the NJ local market.
The burgers are just OK. Better than McDonalds, but not as good as BK or Sonic. Remember the white fries they had before the sea salt bullshit? No salt, so you could add your own. They were perfect. The seasalt ones were ok, the current fries are salty garbage. Remember the perfect yellow soft napkins? Wtf why did they change? Remember the apple dumpling? I barely do and want one so bad! The chocolate frosty is my favorite menu item. The chili is 2nd, but I’m a vegetarian now. The chili sauce that was clear was amazing. The potatoes and the salads, good stuff.
Thank you Dave Thomas, you helped me out a lot when I was younger. Things are a lot more expensive these days, but I’ll always appreciate the quality of food that came from your genius and genuine creation. Just as I’ll always appreciate the genuine and quality memories that were formed over the delicious treats you came up with❤
He came to my grandfather in the late 60s asking him to invest in wendys . My grandfather owned the biggest lumber company in the Midwest at the time in Columbus Ohio ” capital city lumber ” off of Indianola Ave. my grandfather told Dave it was a silly idea for fast food hamburgers lol what a mistake
I’ve been a huge fan of Wendy’s ever since I was a kid. Back then, San Jose only had two or three stores, and my parents had to drive 20 minutes to the closest one on Monterey Highway. This one later became infamous for the discovery of a human thumb found in the chili. It was found to be planted by the customer but what a headline that made! “Where’s the thumb?!”
I love Wendy’s but not this one and not for the reason you’d think. In my country in a teeny city there is a snackbar called Wendy’s they have 1 shop of about 30 square feet and the owner of this tiny shop has been succesfull in numerous lawsuits by the US Wendy’s because they cant open shop here due to the name already exhisting. This has been going on for over a decade I believe and I love it! David v Goliath. And David is winning!
I have yet to encounter any negative remarks regarding the dining establishments of Wendy’s. It is my understanding that the company prides itself on using fresh, high-quality ingredients in their menu offerings. Additionally, their commitment to customer satisfaction is evident in their prompt and courteous service. Additionally, Mr. Thomas was a well-respected figure in the fast food industry, known for his philanthropic efforts and dedication to customer satisfaction.
I have been a fan of Wendy’s for a long time – I love the Baconator! – and try to visit as often as I can. In fact, I live a short distance from the first Wendy’s location in Canada in Hamilton. Years ago when the stores were fund raising for the Dave Thomas Foundation, I purchased a promo t-shirt with the famous line “Where’s The Beef?”. I still have it and wear it several times a year.
I used to get triples when I ate there. I don’t eat a many fast food restaurants at all anymore, but maybe just Jersey Mikes a few times a month. I just don’t get why people would want to wait in line or the drive thru for an entitled and lazy worker to treat you like you’re inconveniencing them and then getting cold fries and shitty service. Since I’ve matured and aged, I just don’t get the appeal of it anymore. Maybe if you’re a stoned loser with no ambition, you’re fine with that kind of experience, but I’d much rather cook my own food and have a much better experience at home.
If only dick and Donald would have done the franchise them self instead of losing there business to Ray Clark and a failed attempt by other franchises they would have been official founder from the getgo and Ray would have been a failed salesman and probably broke and homeless. If Ray was alive druing the Wendy’s expansion and he tried to beat our Dave for the business he probably would have bunch Ray in the face or slammed the door in his face but who knows what kind president Dave Tomas would have been
I think Dave Thomas would be appalled at what the restaurant he named after his daughter, has become. The last time I bought a burger there, I asked for the largest one they had. It was rock hard, dry and about the size of a silver dollar coin. I used to love their chili but had not had it for years. I bought some today, expecting a treat. It was horrible. I would have enjoyed canned chili more. I guess I just don’t need to bother with Wendy’s anymore. Dave Thomas would be ashamed if he could see his creation today.
Wendy’s used to be really good Burgers were good the frosty’s and can’t forget the salad bars I haven’t been to Wendy’s in a long time It was around in between 2008 or so when I kinda backing away considerably, and times I went it just didn’t seem good after that Probably been about 4yrs since I been to Wendy’s
Dave took many of his managers from KFC when he started Wendy’s, he couldn’t pay them well so offered them shares in the company. They took him up on his offer. I worked for one of those mangers when he had the franchise in Ontario Canada. He had Daves same attitude to the work. He knew how to work every position in the restaurant and did so when he visited, which was often. He was good to those who managed his restaurants often leaving presents like Wendy’s watches. He was a tough employer but his managers stayed and often got new managers from the crew in other of them. It was hard work long hours but we somehow always felt like he cared about us. It is often what is missing in places now. When Dave met people he knew who they were which places they worked in and about their families while yes he had someone who made sure he knew all the info he was a warm person to everyone.
Dave Thomas should be on Mt Rushmore. It is brains, vision, tenacity, and compassion that made America great, not red hats and putting people down and pumping yourself up. BTW, last time I comment on this — This article was “weird”. The alternative voice is not. I hope the website manager(s) realize this very soon.
I don’t know if it was just the Wendy’s location near us, one of the first Canadian Wendy’s, but when it opened I believe you had to pay extra for lettuce and tomato. My Dad would take us but because the burgers were already pricier than other burger places, Dad would stipulate no extra toppings. I feel as if that didn’t last long and fairly soon Wendy’s got on board with other fast food places.
When I was a kid in the 80s, I would see Wendy’s tv commercials (wheres the beef?) and ask my grandmother if we could go to Wendy’s. She would always say that she didn’t trust “square hamburgers”. On the flip side, she liked getting pizza from places that made square pizzas. My grandmother was a strange woman.
When I was 4 years old, my mom worked at a wendy’s. Dave Thomas used to check in on the franchises and I vividly remember eating a kids meal at wendy’s, looking up and sitting before me was Dave Thomas himself listening to my mom break down how she ran the salad bar (back when they had them). A weird child memory that returns to me whenever I hear anything about Dave Thomas and his legacy.
Wendy’s cheapest burgers and fries on their menu pretty much sustained me during my university years The only burger joint that fed me two round fluffy buns, a solid slab of meat, a slice of crispy bacon, fresh full slice of lettuce and a tomato slice, with some nice chunky crispy fries and a little mixed frosty, half chocolate and half vanilla, for dessert I could buy it all for around $6 and they were always a welcome treat
When Dave was alive Wendy’s burgers tasted so delicious, sadly Dave is gone and those that are running Wendy’s are driving Dave’s dream into the ground. Wendy’s burgers are no where near the quality they were when Dave was alive. If Dave came back today, he would be cleaning house firing the bungling idiots that have been destroying Wendy’s, and making Wendy’s food delicious again .
They now serve breakfast and l asked the cashier which one was her favorite. She told me the honey chicken biscuit combo. Let me tell you, out of all the years of eating fast food, that has got to be the most decadent breakfast yet. Now, they have me hooked on them. Great work! Also, l have to say, I’m so thankful they had a dollar minu and senior menu. It has allowed us to survive when money is tight. Thank you Wendy’s!
I still remember my first time eating a burger at Wendy’s when I was kid. It was seriously delicious that I constantly compare it with other burgers. That’s to say I haven’t had Wendy’s for over a decade because Wendy’s chains are scarce in my area. Impossible to see one. It was just that GOOD. I can’t even believe why I can remember it.
If dave saw the prices of the food on his menus he would be disgusted. He made it to where everyone could afford it hence the 99 cent menu. I use to could go with $5 and eat good. That baked potato was 99 cent and could put everything on it at the salad bar and it wasn’t a small potato either. We use to go during lunch in high school and the line use be long. Biggie fries, biggie drink, the Texas double, and nuggets for 99 cent each. Yes, $5 gets you all of that and that’s good especially if you’re a poor kid. Too bad his daughter sold his restaurants because dave wasn’t going to let his prices go up because he wanted everybody to enjoy. He was good guy who loved children.
People who take risk…big…always…suffer in the begining …even now..they need to stay alert for unexpected circumtences .and become a leader. Its not easy to keep floating this days of Pandemi..but they are the hero among the people with under graduate education !! Always provide a decent Job …for every body .!!