While Dave Thomas died from liver cancer in 2002, his legacy lives on through his daughter, who feels more encouraged and motivated by the Wendy’s brand today than ever before: “I love this brand.

Dave Thomas founded the first Wendy’s in 1969 in Columbus, Ohio, named after his daughter Melinda Lou, who was nicknamed Wendy. He started with a simple menu: square hamburgers, fries ...

Dave Thomas's fast food chain is named after his daughter, Melinda, known as "Wendy." (In all fairness to the other Thomas children, their father workshopped all five of their names before landing ...

Dave Thomas the founder of Wendy's ... Wendy's. Named after his daughter Melinda, nicknamed "Wendy," Thomas' new venture quickly gained traction with its fresh, square-shaped beef patties and ...

5. Dave Thomas Regretted Naming the Chain After His Daughter The company name “Wendy’s” comes from Dave Thomas’s daughter Melinda, whose nickname was Wendy. But in later interviews ...