Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s, is known for revolutionizing the fast food industry with his authentic and scrumptious hamburgers. Frustrated with the lack of quality burgers in Columbus, Thomas took matters into his own hands and started his own enterprise. With his years of experience in the restaurant business and his successful revival of the KFC brand, Thomas founded Wendy’s and quickly turned it into a massive burger franchise with thousands of outlets. Not only was he the driving force behind the success of Wendy’s, but he also became the face of the brand, appearing in numerous commercials. To learn more about the life and profile of this fast food pioneer, continue reading.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Rex David Thomas
- Died At Age: 69
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Lorraine Thomas (m. 1954–2002)
- Children: Wendy Thomas
- CEOs
- Restaurateurs
- Died on: January 8, 2002
- Place of Death: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
- Cause of Death: Liver Cancer
- City: Atlantic City, New Jersey
- U.S. State: New Jersey
- Founder/Co-Founder: Wendy’s
Childhood & Early Life
Dave Thomas was born to a single woman in Atlantic City, New Jersey, who later gave him up for adoption. When he was six weeks old, he was adopted by Rex and Auleva Thomas. Young Thomas’s adoptive mother passed away when he was five years old. He was then raised by his grandmother Minnie Sinclair in Michigan, while his father looked for work. It was his grandmother who instilled in him the values of respect and reverence.
Early Career
Thomas began working at the age of 12 in a restaurant in Knoxville, Tennessee called The Regas. However, the job did not last long as he had a disagreement with his boss. Determined to never lose a job again, he moved with his dad and took up various odd jobs, such as a paperboy, golf caddy, and working at a soda fountain counter in a drugstore.
When he was 15, he started working part-time at the Hobby House Restaurant owned by the Clauss family in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He also attended a local high school during this time. However, when his family relocated from Fort Wayne, he chose to stay behind and work full-time at the restaurant, dropping out of high school during his 10th grade.
In 1950, at the outbreak of the Korean War, Thomas volunteered for the US Army. Due to his experience in food production and service, he chose to serve in the same field. He was sent to Germany and became a mess sergeant, responsible for the daily meals of 2000 soldiers. He was eventually promoted to the rank of staff sergeant before being relieved of his services in 1953.
Association with Colonel Sanders
After returning to Fort Wayne, Thomas resumed his duties at Hobby House. It was during this time that Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), arrived in Fort Wayne to sell KFC franchises. Thomas’s family reluctantly accepted the offer, allowing Sanders to work with Thomas, who was promoted to the rank of head cook at Hobby House Restaurant.
Thomas’s association with Sanders proved to be a valuable opportunity for him as he learned and developed his business acumen. His suggestions were well-received by Sanders, who looked to revive the KFC brand and increase its sales.
Founding Wendy’s
In the mid-1960s, Thomas moved to Columbus, Ohio, to revive four KFC stores owned by the Clauss family that were operating at a deficit. Within a few years, he turned the restaurants into profitable ventures. In 1968, he sold his shares back to Sanders for over $1.5 million.
Noticing a lack of good hamburgers in Columbus, Ohio, Thomas decided to venture into producing hamburgers himself. Utilizing his business skills and experience from reviving the KFC brand, he started his own business. In November 1969, he opened his first restaurant, Wendy’s, named after his eight-year-old daughter Melinda Lou, who was nicknamed Wendy.
Wendy’s quickly gained popularity in Columbus due to its unique shape and choice of toppings. The demand for Wendy’s grew, and it soon became the top food joint in the city. Within a decade, Wendy’s expanded to over 1000 outlets, becoming a popular hamburger chain both in the United States and internationally.
Challenges and Resurgence
In 1982, Thomas stepped down from his day-to-day operational duties at Wendy’s. However, three years later in 1985, he resumed his responsibilities due to major setbacks the company faced, including declining sales and brand popularity. He visited each franchise, motivating and uplifting the morale of the employees to revamp the brand’s image.
In 1989, Thomas became a television spokesman for Wendy’s, appearing in a series of commercials. Initially, the commercials failed to impress the audience due to his lack of acting skills. However, a change in the script led to the desired effect, and Wendy’s popularity continued to grow.
By the 1990s, Thomas became the face of the brand and a household name. With over 800 commercials, he helped make Wendy’s the third most popular burger restaurant in the country, following McDonald’s and Burger King. The company had approximately 6000 franchises.
Personal Life & Legacy
Thomas married Lorraine in 1956, and they had five children together. Their youngest daughter, Melinda Lou, was nicknamed Wendy and became the inspiration for the chain of restaurants.
As an adoptive child himself, Thomas founded the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, which made groundbreaking initiatives to provide benefits for people who adopted children. He was appointed as a national spokesman on adoptive issues by President George Bush.
Thomas underwent a quadruple bypass surgery in December 1996. Although he resumed his role as a brand promoter, he began receiving kidney dialysis in early 2001.
On January 8, 2002, Thomas passed away at his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, due to liver cancer. He was buried in Union Cemetery in Columbus, Ohio. In 2003, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.