The story of Dave Thomas

Surely, you’ve eaten at a Wendy’s at least once in your life. But did you know that famous Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas got his start working under none other than Colonel Harland Sanders himself?

That’s right, when Colonel Sanders was looking to expand Kentucky Fried Chicken in the mid-1950s, he encountered Hobby House restaurant’s head cook, Dave Thomas.

After absorbing the Hobby House chain into the KFC empire, Dave Thomas quickly rose through the ranks and became a crucial part of the KFC business, even suggesting the now-famous red-and-white-striped chicken bucket.

Thomas would end up so successful that he wound up starting his own chain in 1969, after a string of frustrations at not being able to find a decent hamburger in Ohio. Thus, Wendy’s was born.

Although his initial goal was to expand just enough to provide his children with a place to work during the summer, by the ten-year mark there were over 1,000 Wendy’s locations across the country. As of 2016 there are 6,500. Today, Wendy’s is the third largest hamburger fast food chain in the country.

Dave Thomas remained actively involved with Wendy’s until he passed away in 2002. Still, his legend lives on, as the company he built continues to thrive. We could all learn from his hard-working style and dedication to his business.