Biography on dave thomas

(1932-2002)

Who Was Dave Thomas?

After complaining that he couldn't find a good hamburger in Columbus, Ohio, Dave Thomas opened his own restaurant on November 15, 1969: Wendy's, named after Thomas' 8-year-old daughter.

Wendy's quickly caught on, and within less than a decade, had grown into a 1,000-store franchise. In 1989, Thomas took on the role of television spokesman for the company with a series of hugely successful commercials.

Biography on dave thomas

Early Life

Thomas was born Rex David Thomas on July 2, 1932, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Thomas never knew his birth mother and was adopted by a couple from Kalamazoo, Michigan, when he was 6 months old. Thomas' adoptive mother died when he was only five, and by the age of 10, Thomas had lost two stepmothers as well.

He spent summers in Maine with his adoptive grandmother, Minnie Thomas, who was his closest relative and a big influence in his life.

When Thomas was still a pre-teen, his family (his father, Rex, had remarried agai