Dave Thomas was the founder of Wendy's, a popular fast-food chain known for its square burgers and fresh ingredients. He was a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist, known for his commitment to quality and his work on behalf of adoption. Thomas's legacy continues through the continued success of Wendy's and the impact of his charitable work.
Born on July 2, 1932, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, he never knew his mother. His father had remarried several times and moved frequently, but Thomas had spent most of his summers with his adoptive grandmother, who was a significant influence in his life. Thomas dropped out of school in the 10th grade to work full-time in a restaurant.
While serving in the American Army during the Korean War, Thomas held the position of club manager for enlisted personnel. Upon returning to Fort Wayne, he learned that his former supervisor at Hobby House, Phil Clauss, owned some of the earliest franchises of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Clauss offered Thomas the opportunity to relocate to Columbus, Ohio, and revitalize the struggling restaurants. Thomas was confident that he could successfully market Colonel Sanders' popular chicken in Ohio, as it had been a huge success at Hobby House. In 1968, at the age of 35, Thomas sold the franchises back to the corporate office for $1.5 million after just a few years.
Dave Thomas wanted to create his own restaurant after being disappointed with the quality of hamburgers in Columbus. Wendy's was named after his youngest daughter, Melinda Lou, and the first restaurant debuted on November 15, 1969. Wendy's distinctive square hamburgers with a choice of toppings immediately became popular, and the franchise expanded to 1,000 locations within a decade. Thomas stepped back from day-to-day operations of Wendy's in 1982, but was pushed to return in a more active role in 1986 after certain business blunders resulted in a sales decrease. He subsequently went to franchises to promote his "mop-bucket attitude" before becoming the face of Wendy's in a successful run of television advertising in 1989.
In addition to his business activities, Thomas has committed his life to promoting foster child adoption. He founded the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, which lobbied for novel policies like employee benefits for adoptive parents. His efforts were so substantial that President George W. Bush chose him as a national spokesperson for adoption problems. Despite the fact that he had not completed high school, Thomas hired a tutor and passed the G.E.D. high-school equivalency exam in 1993, a decision he later expressed happiness with.
Due to his weight, Thomas underwent quadruple bypass surgery in December 1996. He continued his regular activities, including commercial production, but in early 2001, he began kidney dialysis. Unfortunately, Thomas died on January 8, 2002, at the age of 69, at his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, following a battle with liver cancer.