Wendy's Dave Thomas

[RoRo]

American restaurateur and philanthropist, best known as founder of the hamburger chain, Wendyâ??s International Inc. Wearing a Wendy's apron, Thomas was one of the nation's most recognized television spokesmen. He has appeared in almost every TV advertisement for the No. 3 burger chain in the United States from 1989 until his death.
In 1969, he opened his first Wendy's restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, naming it after his daughter. Today, Ohio-based Wendy's operates about 6,000 restaurants in the United States and Canada with systemwide annual sales of more than $7 billion, and a market value of over $4 billion on the New York Stock Exchange. As a successful businessman, Thomas founded numerous charities, including the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a cause he was particularly passionate about, having been adopted himself. Dave Thomas died on Tuesday, January 8, 2002 after fighting liver cancer for many years.
He did alot for adoption saying if he could help one child get a home it was worth it.

[poppie]

I think Dave Thomas was a good man. From a child on, his road in life was full of bumps. He perservered, made it to the top, and was a champion of child adoption.

[cleanskull]

He was with KFC at one time and a Kentucky Colonel.

[WendyK]

Hey thats my dad!!

[Mrs. Watson]

Dave Thomas is one of those people who achieved tremendous success and gave back. Everything I have ever read about him, he seemed like a very down to earth guy, dedicated to adoption, family oriented. Never heard a bad thing about him.

[Kathyf]

He seemed so nice everytime I saw him.

[bluebear71]

He seemed like a decent man and certainly he did champion the cause of adoption. I just wonder why he chose frosties over regular milk shakes.

[djdeath-hag]

Hey thats my dad!!

Surely you jest, WendyK! (I'm serious & don't call me Shirley!)
One of my brothers-in-law went to high school in Ohio with Wendy Thomas.....and since he is CONSIDERABLY older than you are, I hope it is safe to say that he thought less than highly of her back then. (It hasn't kept him from his "hot & juiceys" though!

[MorbidMolly]

Hey thats my dad!!

LMAO......Dave was a seriously cool guy, that worked his ass off for everything he had....

[different kind of girl]

He did seem very sweet. Funny about Wendy's, I got a spicy chicken sandwich today and it was awful. It was so dry and rubbery, I couldn't even eat it. I called the 800 number and they're sending me a coupon.

Usually their food is yummy... Have you had the vanilla frosties? YUM!

[onehunglow]

I know the food sucks now! It was a great place, clean and good food. Now they are dirty, mess up the orders and they know it and don't give damn. I won't be back. If I want a hot & spicky chicken I'll look up Andy dick.

[Aries65]

Anyone try the finger chili?....yummm!

Seriously, I worked at Wendy's back in 1984 as a drive-thru window cashier. Didn't last long, found another job elsewhere.

[Danny62]

I don't think its changed much at Wendy's since he died!

It is still is one of the better fast food places around!!

[choff]

Back in 1996 when Ellen DeGeneres came out on her sitcom, Wendys was one of the businesses who pulled their spots from that show. Because of that I have many gay friends who still to this day refuse to eat at Wendys.

The ironic thing about that is that the local Wendys franchise in my hometown, last I heard was owned by a gay man and his partner, so Wendys is not totally homophobic.

[Kugmu]

Dave Thomas was the founder of Wendy's burger joint here in the USA.
Today was his last day back in '02.
A good man who did good with the "Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption"

American restaurateur and philanthropist, best known as founder of the hamburger chain, Wendyâ??s International Inc. Wearing a Wendy's apron, Thomas was one of the nation's most recognized television spokesmen. He has appeared in almost every TV advertisement for the No. 3 burger chain in the United States from 1989 until his death. Although Dave became widely popular, he was never very comfortable as a â??celebrity." In his books and in interviews, Thomas talked of being approached by those who recognized him from television and said he must be someone famous. Dave said he replied, "I'm nobody, really. I just make hamburgers for a living." He was born Rex David on July 2, 1932, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He was adopted and renamed by a Michigan family when he was six weeks old. When he was 12 years old, Thomas started working at a barbecue restaurant in Knoxville, Tenn., according to the company's Web site. He eventually moved into a management position with Kentucky Fried Chicken, where he met one of the greatest influences in his life -- Colonel Harland Sanders, KFC founder. In 1969, he opened his first Wendy's restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, naming it after his daughter. Today, Ohio-based Wendy's operates about 6,000 restaurants in the United States and Canada with systemwide annual sales of more than $7 billion, and a market value of over $4 billion on the New York Stock Exchange. The founder and senior chairman of Wendy's International became a household name when he began pitching his burgers and fries in TV commercials in 1989. The smiling Thomas touted the virtues of fast-food in humorous ads, sometimes featuring stars such as bluesman B.B. King and soap opera queen Susan Lucci. As a successful businessman, Thomas founded numerous charities, including the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a cause he was particularly passionate about, having been adopted himself. â??When I found out I was (adopted), I didn't want to talk about it, and as I talked to people as I grew older ... I got really a lot of encouragement," Thomas said in a 1999 interview on CNN. "They said, 'why don't you talk about it?' And I thought, well, I'll do it if, you know, I could just help one boy or one girl get a home." Dave Thomas died on Tuesday, January 8, 2002 after fighting liver cancer for many years. He was survived by his wife of 47 years, Lorraine, five children and 16 grandchildren. His foundation helps raise awareness for the 134,000 foster children available for adoption, and helps make adoption more affordable.

[Jaxxx]

I think what Dave did for adoptee children is just wonderful, he was a good man, I enjoyed his commericals when he was alive. RIP Dave

[leeny994]

Dave Thomas was the founder of Wendy's burger joint here in the USA.
Today was his last day back in '02.
A good man who did good with the "Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption"
His foundation helps raise awareness for the 134,000 foster children available for adoption, and helps make adoption more affordable.

THANK YOU. people only think of his deluxe bacon burgers when mentioning Dave. They forget about this amazing work he did for the kids.

[lisalouver]

I always remember Dave for his work with kids. Of course, when I do go into Wendys, I love the burgers too!

RIP Dave, you made the world a better place.

[leeny994]

the nuggets are my favorite... lol

when i worked in foster care as a social worker, and some of my clients felt down i used to always bring up dave and wendy's and point out his obstacles and how successful he became... the kids always liked hearing about him, not only his success with Wendy's but his work with the foundation

[poppie]

Dave Thomas was a good man. Not a lot of words, but the best way to describe and honor him.

[Ghoulie Girl]

very nice post.........

[don't_axe_me]

I recently read his book "Dave Says - Well Done!". I gained a lot of respect for the man. Very humble, and seems to have raised a great family, as well.

[GhostWorld]

I liked him. And I like that Wendy's uses powdery salt on their fries.


Go team.

[panda]

I did a college paper on Dave & learned a lot about him then. Truly an incredible man with a huge heart. We miss you Dave..........RIP

[colz85]

I once literally ran into him. I worked at Ohio State University, in a building that was used for lots of corporate meetings and such. I was walking through the lobby and dodging my way through the crowd, when I stopped short and looked up...at Dave Thomas. We smiled at each other and said "excuse me".

He actually got his restaurant start in Fort Wayne, where I live now--at the now defunct Hobby Ranch House.

[choff]

Wasn't Thomas homophobic?

I do remember when the coming out of the closet episode of Ellen aired one of the businesses who pulled their ads was Wendys. But I dont recall if that was Dave Thomas' decision or some other higher up at Wendys.

I do remember having several gay friends who for years refused to eat at Wendy's because of this incident. Most of them have since got over that.

[LadyCurry]

I remember as a kid my dad always following his life and discussing with me about how much good Thomas did in his life. Dad, at one point in his career of restaurant management, was a DM for Wendy's....very proud.

[Zoe_Zeppelin]

I used to have a crush on Dave Thomas. LOL! My friends and family all thought I was nuts. There was something so cute about him.

RIP Dave. Wendy's sucks without you.

[Dane]

I live in Columbus, where the headquarters are, and ever since Dave died, things have gone to hell. They have seemed since then to be floundering around looking for some kind of touchstone (he wasn't running the company at his death, more of a figurehead, but his influence was felt). Wendy's was sold to Arby's (oh yuk) last year and are in the process of laying off Columbus workers as they prepare to move their base of operations to Atlanta where Arby's is based.

So the Columbus economy is going to hell a little bit more, and I expect the food to start sucking anyday now (sorry, I just hate Arby's food, except for the jamocha shakes!).

Dave's was the first "celebrity" grave I ever shot.

[orionova]

Dave just came across as a really nice guy. I really admired how tirelessly he advocated adoption, having been adopted himself.

[Inked_Daddy]

I was a Wendy's manager for 2 years when I was in my early 20s. Boy that job sucked. Anyways, I had to read several of his books when I was in "Manager" training. The two main things I rmember about his teachings were #1 - Just be Nice, and #2 - He was a big believer in fresh paint lol.

[Bee1001]

My grandpa died around the same time Dave did, and since we're in the columbus area, they're both buried in the same cemetery!


http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...r&GRid=6076364

[tarsier]

I only ever heard good things about him, but because the original shops (Kewpies & Wilson's) still stand he is regarded as an institutiob around here., NW Ohio.

[c l p]

i worked for dave for a long time and he was a good guy. the company is not the same without him.

[Mrs. Watson]

I was a Wendy's manager for 2 years when I was in my early 20s. Boy that job sucked. Anyways, I had to read several of his books when I was in "Manager" training. The two main things I rmember about his teachings were #1 - Just be Nice, and #2 - He was a big believer in fresh paint lol.

I love #1. That's all, just be nice!

[johnny]

he seemed like a person who tried to do good with his money. we do need more of that.

but, between the KFC and the Wendy's fatty foods I am thinking he was rolling the dice to make it past 50. just my two cents.

[Forever-27]

That man knew what people wanted out of a burger. Great burgers for people and great for Foster kids, what a guy !

Still remember the Wheres The Beef ads of the 80s.

[DonnaMc]

I LOVE the bacon cheeseburgers! And their chili is pretty much "the bomb."

[radiojane]

We didn't have a Wendy's in my hometown (we'll probably get one soon though. We have more restaurants per capita then any other town our size). I remember the first time we were in Calgary and dad took us there.

He had me and my brothers convinced the burgers came from square cows.

[Desert Ghost]

My first job was with Wendy's when I was in high school. I worked at one of their first locations in Arizona and it became the training store for managers in Arizona. I heard many stories about Dave and all of them were very, very positive. He was a great guy who cared about his employees, family and kids who had the same background as his.

I learned several things working for Wendy's that I have used in other jobs and Dave Thomas was a man of his word. If you live in the Phoenix area you might remember that there was only one Wendy's in Scottsdale for over 20 years. The city of Scottsdale gave Wendy's a hassle over the opening of the first Wendy's in Scottsdale and caused the opening to be delayed by months. (I was hired to work there and got to see some of Scottsdale's actions with my own eyes.) Dave Thomas then said because of that he would not allow another Wendy's to open in Scottsdale and he stuck to that. No additional Wendy's opened in Scottsdale until Dave Thomas was no longer running the company.

[starshine93078]

Dave Thomas always seemed like the kind of guy where what you saw was what you got. I was very sad when I heard that he had died.

[Ludigan]

His daughter has said that when Dave was growing up, he couldn't afford good shoes, and as a result, his feet were so disfigured that he never allowed anyone to see them, not even his family.

He never finished school, but later in life, he enrolled in and got his high school diploma in 1993.

You have to believe, at least with Dave, that those things that don't kill you make you stronger.

[Forever-27]

Dave was proof you dont need years at college to be successful. It helps to be edicated , great education greatens the odds you will be successful in life, but it can still be done without even a high school diploma let alone some degree in a field that may or may not be obsolite once you get it

[Miho]

I miss seeing his smiling face

[Jrwzeigle]

[quote=radiojane;1130417]We didn't have a Wendy's in my hometown (we'll probably get one soon though. We have more restaurants per capita then any other town our size). I remember the first time we were in Calgary and dad took us there.

He had me and my brothers convinced the burgers came from square cows.[/quote]

That's the same line my grandpa told me when I was a kid....he also try to tell me that cows that graze on river levees were born with legs on one side that were shorter that the other side so that they could stand upright while they grazed and not tilt....

[triccelli]

i worked for dave for a long time and he was a good guy. the company is not the same without him.

I wanted to share some first hand knowledge about Dave Thomas. He is very dear to my heart and I miss him terribly...

I was a commercial actress/model from 1992-2005 and had both principal and extra roles in his commercials for Wendy's for 10 years. Dave is exactly the man you see on television; humble, sweet, endearing and very generous. He was also very loyal; there was a group of 10-15 actors he employed for 10 years to star in his commercials which as you know is incredibly rare in this business.

I saw him deteriorate over the years due to his health but he still loved to make his commercials up until the end. I rarely saw his family on the set but spoke to his son one time on the phone, Dave wanted me to meet him one day I was also a personal trainer at the time and Dave offered me a job but I had to decline because I knew I wasn't qualified enough due to his health conditions. I told him to hire a train with an extensive background in exercise physiology. He appreciated that because I could have made a living off being his trainer.

As I sit here in my living room, I am looking back with fond memories at a card from "The Memorial Celebration R. David Thomas" I attended at the First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale" on January 18, 2002. It was a beautiful service celebrating his life. He had a home in Lighthouse Point, which was his second home.

I mourn his death and also that there aren't many people like him left in this world. The quote on front of Memorial card "A good reputation is more valuable than the most expensive perfume. In the same way, the day you die is better than the day you were born." Ecclesiastes 7:1

You are truly missed Dave and will never be forgotten.....Thank you for all you did for so many people.

[MagnusDippytack]

A sign of how the economy is tanking. The Wendy's combo that cost me $5.00 a year ago is now nearly $8.00.

I remember in the 80's the burgers were much thicker. I couldn't open my mouth wide enough to eat a triple. Remember how juicy they used to be (or greasy to some). Now the the burgers are dried up imitaions of their past burgers.

[snowblindburd]

Thank you for that first hand account, triccelli! It was very touching. Dave sounds like a great guy, and it's good to know he impacted your life in a good way.

I've never really been a big patron of Wendy's. I don't really eat fast food often, though. My dad just loves their chili!



Edit: And I agree, the price of fast food combos are ridiculous. It's so much cheaper to make your own.

[findadeathaddict]

If my family goes "out" to eat at a fast food joint, it is almost 30 bucks for the 4 of us.......we used to be able to eat at Applebees for that amount.

[grapeape]

Dave Thomas is one guy I admire for being able to walk the walk. He strated from nothing and built an empire. He lived the American Dream. One time he visited a local franchise and one of the cooks wasn't doing it "Dave's way" so the cook told him Oh yeah, big guy, let's see YOU do it. Thomas took the spatula and showed the punk how to do it right. Gotta respect that.