Did Dave Thomas (Wendy's) kick it?

[Kenazo]

i liked dave. his commercials were awesome! so much better than those mcd's crap. However, i still love my whopper. Perhaps i'll have to go have a sympathy burger @ wendy's

 

[LuckyTaxi]

RIP dave

 

[orty]

<< i liked dave. his commercials were awesome! so much better than those mcd's crap. However, i still love my whopper. Perhaps i'll have to go have a sympathy burger @ wendy's >>



agreed. I used to go to Wendy's a lot when I was in college, when they had those Pitas. Those were damn good, and my wife was horribly addicted to them during her pregnancy, so I went there a LOT during that....haven't really gone back since they stopped making those.

EDIT: From his updated obit: (this just made me laugh):

"Despite his success, it wasn't until 1993 that he earned a high school equivalency certificate.

That year, he told 2,500 Columbus public school seniors his biggest mistake was not finishing high school.

``We have 4,000 restaurants today, but if I had gotten my high school diploma, we might have 8,000,'' he said."

 

[guyver01]

RIP Dave... when i have my lunch today at your restaurant, i'll be thinking of you.

 

[Maetryx]

I remember a couple years ago when it finally occured to me that Wendys *is* the cheapest burger joint. It had been pounded into my head for so long that McDonalds was the cheapest place. Not a chance. Wendy's 99 cent value menu rocks. And their food tastes better than most McDonalds food.

I gotta have a Big Mac on occasion, but otherwise I'm a Wendy's devotee. I never set foot in a Burger King. This is all burger-talk, BTW. I eat Taco Bell and Sams Club more often. Except this month where I swore off eating out as a New Year's resolution.

 

[ravanux]

I feel bad I do...but everytime I get a mental picture of him I start thinking about spicy chicken sandwiches....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....oops! Sorry Dave RIP.

 

[Russ]

I met Dave when I was with Wendy's. Was in Columbus (corporate HQ) for a week long HR seminar in 1985. I got the opposite impression that Michael got. Very nice, pleasant and very much like his commercials.

The first Wendy's opened in what used to be a car dealership. The store is still there. Most people don't know it, but Wendy's was not his first fast food venture. He was one of the early KFC franchise holders. This guy was a genuine Horatio Alger story. Started with nothing in life but an extraordinary will to succeed.

Russ, NCNE

 

[Desturel]

I can't comment on Dave Thomas, but Bill Cosby was a nice guy. He was totally cool and started a conversation with me and one of my friends after a show I went to of his. It was because of the Brown Hornet T-shirt that she was wearing. I couldn't imagine him to be a total asshole unless something else was bothering him at the time. It wasn't like we asked for him to come up to us and it was after the show had ended so it wasn't a part of his act. Man, now I'm looking for a Brown Hornet T-shirt myself. All I can find are the overpriced Fat Albert ones from FUBU. :disgust:

 

[AaronP]

NY Giants CB Dave Thomas played like he was dead on Sunday too.

 

[TheDingo]

Today is a sad day for fast food masscots. Ronald is crying in his Happy Meal. Stoners all over the world will lift their $.99 Jr Bacon Cheeseburger with BBQ sause in his honor.

 

[badluck]

this is surprising....I mean, that food won't kill you or anything....

 

[t0mmyb0y]

Will we see his daughter in commercials? Or will the Wendy's ads go the way of McDonald's and Burger King's ads and involve really lame theme songs?


May you enjoy that great Frosty Machine in the sky Dave...

 

[SendTrash]

I wonder if Dave Thomas will go cg like the KFC guy

 

[iamwiz82]

i mourned his death by having a #2 with a frosty...

 

[Balt]

This is rather sad, and for those of you poking fun I think you need to remember this guy LIVED the American Dream. He was an orphan who started out with very little in life, and look what he became. He was also very charitable.

They should teach about people like him in schools, he personifies what is great about this country.

 

[DAWeinG]

Defeating our language filters is going to earn you a one way ticket out of here.

AnandTech Moderator

I liked his commercials I don't usually eat at wendy's though 'cause it seems a bit too expensive

 

[randomlinh]

wendy's was always a bit more expensive.. but not much. And it's a lot better than mcdonalds and the one burger king here (i like burger king too, but the place by me is horrible).

anyway, RIP Dave... ya did some good comercials.

 

[AgentZap]

Man Dave Thomas seemed like such a nice guy
I'll miss those commercials. Their burgers and fries are awesome btw.

 

[UnixFreak]

<< wendy's was always a bit more expensive.. but not much. >>



Are you kiddin? At wendys (in Oregon, I dont know about elsewhere)

1/4 double stack .99c
biggie fries .99c
biggie coke 1.29c

total $3.27

Equivelant meal at Mc Ds' (1/4 meal supersized)

$4.59

Burger king (whopper chz meal, king sized)

$4.69


Wendys is cheap. And tastes way better.

That is sad about DT. He was a good example of the harder you work, the luckier you become. Made it big the old fashioned way, honest, hard work.

 

[Optimus]

Actually "Wendy" was his daughter's nickname - her real name was Melinda I believe.

Dave lived the American dream, started a great fast food joint, made good commercials, worked a lot with various kid's charities, and was by all accounts a good father and husband.

God Bless, Dave.

 

[CirekL]

Wendy must be devastated.

 

[WhiteWonder]

man, i wonder what kind of commercials they are going to have now?

 

[BlueApple]

I'll get a number 2 biggie size tonight, for him.

 

[LeStEr]

I too like his commercials but a few posts back someone said they met him and said he was an ahole. I hate celebs that are like that . Also ive gotten food poisening from wendys twice! Cant say hes done much for me.

 

[uclaxman]

sucks


i think i'll stop by a wendys and get a combo in his honor