Dave Thomas was vocal about his regret in naming his groundbreaking hit restaurant Wendy's after his daughter, Melinda "Wendy" Thomas. The restaurant's namesake spoke about this regularly in ...

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 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 ...