Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy's fast food restaurants, died in the hospital yesterday. No cause was given. He was 67 years old.

I know this will sound corny, but after seeing him on TV for so many years, it's almost like finding out about Santa. You're not gonna cry you're heart out, but you're still disappointed.

Thoughts? I know he's not necessarily an 80s figure, but hey, he was a cute little old dude!

:( Ahhh!! That's really sad.. I liked Dave Thomas always doing those funny commercials. I just ate at Wendy's yesterday and remember seeing the big picture they have of him.. with his freshness guarantee. You know the one. Wendy's burgers are actually one of my favorites. They actually have a taste to them.... closer to what you would make at home.. more-so than the others.

You're right Val, he was a cute old guy ;)

Wow, that is sad. My dad and I use to always go get their shakes together when I was younger. I have rarely caught a meal there in the past ten years but he is always on TV down here. Yet another reminder of just how fragile life is.

That is pretty sad....and he really wasn't all that old either really. I know what ya mean about the burgers Pam....that's actually the only fast food spot I've gone to in the past 4 or 5 years...:) He'll be missed for sure...

That's so sad! I hadn't heard that yet. He was a very loveable character.:(

I just heard about this on CNN. This is sad, as Dave has been starring in those commercials since the late 80s, and he will certainly be missed, as we've seen him in our households everyday for a long time...

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That is sad...He was a fatherly figure and made the Wendy's campaigns more homely and freindlier, than most fast food joints. I'll miss seeing his commercials.

They said on the news he passed away from liver cancer:( . It's too bad, especially when they did his biography, and he spend almost all his adult life working insane hours and it was just the last few years he finally decided to have some fun and take it easy

Val, I heard this on the news this morning while we were on the phone.

It was a shock....:( He became a hosehold name. Whenever a Wendy's commerical came on you expected to see Dave! He was a Burger Legend!! ;)

Awww... Man! That is sad. :( I just ate at Wendy's today (A garden fresh salad cause I'm on a diet).

He will be missed. RIP Dave.

That is sad.:( The Wendy's commercials won't be the same without him.

That's very sad, I always thought he was cool........he didn't go to college or anything, just started his own buissness at an early age. Gotta admire that!

Thomas was 69 years old.

:( :( :( :( :( :( :(

I was upset when I heard this today. I just got so used to seeing him on TV. I really will miss his commercials. Rest well, Dave.

It's definitely a sad day in the restaurant world as a well-liked figure passes away:(

I just found out today when I opened up the front page of the newspaper. He will definitely be missed.:(

Here is a link to my local paper about Dave Thomas (he got his start here in Fort Wayne).

www.news-sentinel.com

I'm gonna miss good 'ol Dave :( He seemed like a nice man... even named his restaurant after his daughter, Wendy..

I will miss his corny commercials... :(

I just got the news when I logged online tonight. I really like Wendy's and I think Dave gave the business a real boost when he started making the commercials in the late 80s. The restaurants seemed to be in a slump until then. His quirky sense of humor will be missed.:cry:

That's very sad. :(

I never really ate at his restaurants, but I always thought of him as a marketing genius for his great commercials and business ideas. He was very much a pioneer in his field who has inspired a lot of people.

RIP Dave! :(

I'm gonna miss Dave. :( He was one of the good guys. He was a very successful businessman, but also a big-hearted guy who gave alot of time & money to charities. Orphans were very close to his heart, himself having been orphaned as a child.

He was a household name.
I always associate him with a Wendy's commercial.
Of course there weren't that many of them (that I saw) so maybe that's why I always saw him on a commercial.
At this day & age, 67 is before one's time. I actually thought Dave was older than that considering how long I've known Wendy's.
Never ate there that often, but see them all the time.
I wonder what the new commercial approach will be or if they'll find a replacement actor.

Dave Thomas will be greatly missed. Ya know the daughter that he named the restaurants after.....her nickname is Wendy, her real name is Melinda Lou........I saw that in our local paper.
He was a great guy!!!! RIP Dave :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Originally posted by Tazgirl034
Ya know the daughter that he named the restaurants after.....her nickname is Wendy, her real name is Melinda Lou........
I never knew that!
I wondered why the restaraunt was named that particular female name.