Wendy’s USA Store Map
Most folks know Dave Thomas as the founder of Wendy’s, the restaurant that serves up “old fashioned hamburgers.” But, I bet you didn’t know that, even as young as 12, Dave was passionate about restaurants. In 1947, at the age of 15, he dropped out of school to work at the Hobby House Restaurant in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
Wendy’s store map
Over the next several years, Dave learned every aspect of the restaurant business from Hobby House owner and mentor, Phil Clauss. By 1954, Phil, had bought four KFC franchise locations. In 1962, with all four franchises failing, he asked Dave to help him get his businesses back on track. Dave took the challenge, streamlining the KFC menu and creating the revolving red and and white striped bucket of chicken that is synonymous with KFC. Phil later sold the restaurants, making Dave a millionaire. You can probably guess the ending, right? You got it: in 1969, Dave opened the first Wendy’s restaurant at 257 E. Broad Street in Columbus, Ohio.
QUALITY IS OUR RECIPE
True to Dave’s word to serve only high quality food, Wendy’s serves fresh, made-to-order hamburgers. No mass produced, frozen “boxed burgers” for Wendy’s customers.
Today, almost 50 years later, Wendy’s 5,723 US locations continue to serve their customers those famous hamburgers with fresh hamburger patties that hang, invitingly, over the bun.
Gloria Sauve
Communications and Marketing