- He tried all five of his children's names for the restaurant before he settled on his daughter Melinda's nickname, Wendy.
- "He explained, 'I should've just named it after myself, because it put a lot of pressure on you,'" Wendy Thomas wrote in a company blog post .
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Before he died, the Wendy's founder apologized to his daughter for naming the chain after her
Wendy's was founded by Dave Thomas in 1969.
retro wendys wendy thomas
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All fast-food fans are likely familiar with Wendy's iconic logo, which features a redheaded girl wearing pigtails. But it's possible that not everyone knows the real story behind the name and the pressures that came along with it.
Wendy's was founded by Dave Thomas Columbus, Ohio, in 1969 . When it came to deciding what to call the chain, he tried out the names of all five of his children before he settled on the nickname for his daughter, Melinda, which was Wendy.
"He said, 'Wendy, pull your hair up in pigtails.' So, I did. He got his camera and took pictures of me and my sister and said, 'Yep, it's going to be Wendy's Old-Fashioned Hamburgers,'" Wendy Thomas wrote in a company blog post on Friday.
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Today, there are more than 6,700 Wendy's locations across the world. And, Wendy is still the face of the brand, for better or worse.
Before he died in 2002 , Dave apologized to his daughter for naming the restaurant after her.
"He explained, 'I should've just named it after myself, because it put a lot of pressure on you,'" Wendy wrote in the blog post.
Dave Thomas and Wendy
Wendy's
Even with the pressure of being the face of the chain, Wendy said she still feels motivated to carry on her father's legacy.
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Plus, she admitted, the name is not without its perks.
"Sometimes if I need a reservation, it helps!" she wrote.
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SEE ALSO: Wendy's is giving away free food in honor of its 50th birthday here's how to get some
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