Some places are so iconic and beloved that you only need to spot the logo to know the name of the restaurant. You could notice the yellow glow of those larger-than-life golden arches and know without a doubt that you’re approaching a McDonald’s (although you might still recognize a McDonald’s with blue arches too). A purple bell? An older man with glasses and a mustache? A crowned mermaid against a green background? You probably know exactly which restaurant pairs with each logo.
The little girl in the Wendy’s logo, the one with red pigtails and blue bows, isn’t just a made-up character — she’s the real-life daughter of Wendy’s founder, Dave Thomas. Not only is she real, but she inspired the name of the fast food restaurant. Her full name is Melinda Lou “Wendy” Thomas, though her father and younger siblings affectionately used her nickname Wendy most often. When Dave Thomas planned to open the first Wendy’s restaurant in 1969 (here’s what you can still order from the Wendy’s original 1969 menu, by the way), he wanted a character or mascot for the restaurant. So when he saw the opportunity to have his daughters involved with the business, he took action.
Wendy Thomas continues a family legacy
Melinda Lou “Wendy” Thomas was eight years old when Dave Thomas used her as inspiration for the Wendy’s logo. According to a blog post from Wendy Thomas in 2019, her father told her, “Wendy, pull your hair up in pigtails,” and pose for some photos, then the Wendy’s logo was born. Although she was the inspiration, Wendy Thomas was mostly uninvolved with the franchise during her childhood and teenage years, with her father appearing in over 800 commercials in her stead. In the same blog post, she admits that she didn’t even grasp what a big deal the fast food restaurant had become until she was well into college.
As she got older, Wendy Thomas eventually became a franchisee and co-owner of more than 30 Wendy’s locations. When Dave Thomas passed away in 2002, Wendy Thomas stepped in to ensure the legacy of her family business. She appeared in a series of commercials between 2011-2012 for the first time, stepping into her role as the literal face of the company. Before he died, Dave Thomas apologized to his daughter for the pressure he unexpectedly put her under, but she remained vehement in the blog post that she would “always love this brand, but not because my name is on the buildings.” She’s still actively involved with the businesses to this day and is dead set on making sure everyone knows those square hamburgers should never be shortened to just “burgers,” because the chain doesn’t cut corners.
