"Colonel Sanders saved me" -- Wendy's founder Dave Thomas on KFC icon

Dave Thomas was the founder of Wendy's. He began his career at age 25 after an unlikely meeting with Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Thomas was interviewed by Joel Engardio in June 1997 for the POV magazine column "When I Was 25" where successful people talk about their formative days.
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[@thunderstruck665]

No matter how rich and successful Dave became, at heart, he was still a blue collar soul and it shows here. Such a great, down to earth individual Dave was.

[@kev3d]

This was a great man. Note the hard work, the persistence, not just from Thomas, but from Col Sanders too.

[@frankj.artino2203]

My father was a truck driver making deliveries for Dave Thomas in Columbus, and said he was a very good man.

[@parisideon]

I grew up with Dave Thomas in a way. From 16 to 18 I worked for Wendy's. I worked everything from the grill, to the cash register. I even appeared in a "Wendy's World" training video. Then after college at age 23 I returned to Wendy's as a manager,, going from shift sup, to Asistant manger to GM. Eventually I went on to use my degree as a teacher but I learned many good disciplines at Wendy's, hard work, loyalty, and diplomacy. White red green white red green yellow!

[@richardd6669]

I also grew up with " Daves Way " . At 15, I was mowing the lawns for 17 Wendy `s stores in Virginia Beach/Hampton area. Then at 16 -18 was a grill man during H.S. My Dad was a Wendy`s Corporate Area Supervisor with many stores under his watch . Then he went on to become a Wendy`s Franchise Area Director for 28 years.

[@wadessirenvideos6750]

You have one of the best comments here. Dave Thomas would have liked you for your great work ethic and compassion. Wendy's was a great place to eat back in your days of working there.

[@YourXellency]

I remember back in 2005, I tried to get a job at Wendy's back in Austin like 4 times and failed. I always thought it was because I was Black because only white people and Latinas were landing the job. I stopped applying and went on to serve in the Marines instead.

[@thudson99]

"Be persistent, stay focused, and have fun doing it". Good advice. I believe networking is the best advice I ever got. BTW, great interviewer.

[@strangevisions5162]

@thudson99 "Be persistent, stay focused, and have fun doing it". Good advice. 10:05 I guess accuracy isn't too necessary

[@johncase1353]

Working at Wendy's is still my favorite job. Even if it was after Dave his "Do it right the first time" mentally stuck with me into my future life. It didn't mean have the job down perfectly on the first day, it was pay attention and take your time when doing something so it's done right. Also Dave Thomas knew his employees weren't going to work at Wendy's until retirement. He wanted to teach his employees the values of good workmanship so they could be successful in their future careers. Customer satisfaction is the only way for any business to succeed and making employees feel like family. I worked with a group of employees I would have normally hated in my high school days but we literally became friends on my first day and acted like we knew each other from a early age and still talk to this day

[@ernestgreen9051]

I met him in New Orleans, at a TV show that he was a guest on. He left an incredible impression on me. Dave was a really good guy!

[@timrhicks1234]

Dave Thomas was an honest down to Earth man. Great guy

[@dominicbrogsdale3348]

timrhicks1234 i work at wendies i heard he was!! FROM EVERYONE!!!! they said he was awesome!!!

[@sheilaflatt9929]

timrhicks1234 wait was? his dead?

[@ap70621]

Yes, he died in 2002.

[@jasonlyte-armstrong9995]

He seemed like such a great guy. I guess good guys don't always finish last. R.I.P. Dave...

[@georgeorwell4534]

I had read that Dave Thomas said every important lesson about success he learned from Harlan Sanders. Great interview.

[@aquabeard6189]

Wish he was still around. It really sucks being a manager of this company without him. He really was a great guy and is turning in his grave to see what is happening with his company.

[@guigal2]

Yeah, I think in a lot of ways the menu was better when he was around. All of these supposed improvements to the burgers haven't really made them noticeably better, I don't think, and I liked the salads a lot more in the 90s and very early 2000s-that shredded American cheese they used to put on them was really good. At least the chili and the spicy chicken sandwich haven't changed very much.

[@CommodoreFan64]

@@guigal2 Their nuggets, and frosties are still alright too, but the taste of the burgers have gone downhill IMHO.

[@richardd6669]

Wendy`s quit doing fresh daily ground patties and the four corner press . Dave would never have allowed that. White , red, green , white ,red ,green and yellow !!!!

[@plawson8577]

@@richardd6669 Everything declined in late ‘09.

[@GilbertNichols]

Excellent way to remember a great American hero. There's always a place in my heart, and appetite for Wendy's Hamburgers.

[@KeithFox]

What a gentleman to offer his time and advice. Great guy

[@unclegranny4257]

This is an incredible interview. Great questions and awesome to hear Dave in his own words talk about his life and relationship with Colonel Sanders. So awesome!

[@mdaddy775]

Yeah!

[@KendrickHarrisKenfinity]

Unforgettable and awesome to know more about how our juicy burger "little sweetheart" founder, was inspired by the colonel who persisted after finally starting the Kentucky fried empire.🎯🍔🍗🙏🏾🤝🏾💪🏾☀️ Stay safe and encouraged everyone!

[@Chicken_Wing91]

I used to love seeing him in Wendy's commercials as a kid i was really sad when i heard he passed

[@nskid]

Truly fascinating. Great interview. Thanks for sharing it. Thomas and Sanders both deserve resepct for what they accomplished through hard work and commitment.

[@ShaneMurphyHendrickson]

R.I.P. Harland David Sanders and Rex David Thomas.

[@kushdoctor1781]

R.I.P Dave Thomas i love working at Wendy's im so happy i quit McDonald's Wendy's is such a better company i love how good they treat me and the costumers

[@laureljade3476]

Dave Thomas is like someone's grandfather, nice as hell.

[@Cloudy_Days.]

Hell is not a nice place. Slap yourself for that

[@StuUngar]

The sound of his voice and his speech mannerisms reminds me of my dad. Maybe that's one of the reasons why I'm Dave Thomas guy.

[@dh7164]

I miss Dave and his generation. I wonder if he served my grandfather at that mess hall in Germany...

[@HollywoodCreeper]

Isn't that the truth. The nicest people. Back when America was America.

[@HollywoodCreeper]

Great interview. Uplifting, which is in a stark contrast to most things today.

[@wadessirenvideos6750]

Dave Thomas loved 2 things above all else, and they were people and food. He did take what he learned from Colonel Harland Sanders, and his restaurant skills to open up his first Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers in 1969 located in Columbus, Ohio. Less than a decade later, there were Wendy's locations in other states, including Texas. I ate at a Wendy's back in 1977. Dave Thomas would be disappointed if he knew how bad Wendy's is now. I miss the days when Wendy's was a great hamburger place.

[@plawson8577]

Parent Company Odemark threw out David’s old Recipe and his Daughter off the Chairboard in late 2009.

[@nighthiker8872]

A book to read to change your life is,Dave's Way,every 9th grader should read it,the hard bound book. He started at 12 not 35 years old. 35 years ago fast food was real food,meat was meat,today it could be anything,I don't eat it,today. Super video!

[@zacharyjarrells7084]

I remember him in the Wendy’s commercials when I was a kid. He always seemed like a nice man.

[@TristisMiserabilis]

Cool interview Joel!!!

[@chrislemaster2695]

I worked for Wendy's back when Dave was alive. It was decent he gave us 75% off when working and 50% off when not working. I worked for Dave for two years. This was in 2004-.2006. Ours was owned by Corporate owned by Dave Thomas himself. I was on vacation bank in my hometown back then. The week I went he came to visit the store.

[@frank234561]

Nice story. Considering the guy had been dead for about 2 years by 2004.

[@MrDrdaveturbo]

Rip dave, you are truly missed. Ps you're triple cheeseburgers are the bomb :)

[@dh7164]

I think of him still today, and I always order the Dave's single. I like to remember him every time I eat at Wendy's.

[@Robert-hr6sh]

People back then, who made dreams into Reality!! Always forward, learn, renew and never look back 👍

[@earlysda]

I wonder if he ever made peace with Jesus like the Colonel did.

[@TheIvoryKeys]

RIP Dave Thomas. I am partaking of a Dave Thomas' World Famous Old Fashioned Hot 'N Juicy Classic Single with Cheese right now! Good night sweet prince!

[@joeburrows215]

oh.. u mean u had a .. D.T's W.F.O.F.H.n.J.C.S.w/ cheese?...... love those

[@AhmedXbox]

R.I.P Dave Thomas

[@anthonytripp2251]

Great interview

[@newestport7338]

what a cool interview!

[@katakisLives]

Fascinating insight into these founding figures! if I ever visit the states I'll have to go to Wendys to see what its like.

[@georgeorwell4534]

Personally I find the quality of Wendy's some of the best in fast food in America.

[@alexusguillory4622]

It's gone downhill... back in the 90s it was the best time for wendy's but today they mess your orders as bad as burger king

[@j.jacobson]

@@georgeorwell4534 do you live on the funny farm George

[@spark2053]

The struggle can really empower you

[@uhfnutbar1]

he was like the Colonle he gave a lot away to help others not even knowing of his emmnit death

[@bigyodatheman]

Thank you for sharing

[@Tyler5799]

wendys wasnt the same after dave died

[@TheFaustianMan]

First class gentleman.

[@MistaSCARY]

Man 👨🏻 can’t save you… only Jesus Christ can Save You. 🙏🏻 ♥️🙌🏻 John 3:16,17

[@REVELATORYDIVINECHANNELER]

🗣🗣🗣AMEN❗️🎯

[@Donna-fk5jp]

Ditto: Amen

[@dgrundman7499]

Hi Joel, hey sir, thanks for sharing this. Dave was such a down to earth, 'guys guy', which is so cool. There's nothing cooler than a wealthy or powerful person who is still modest & humble & approachable. How did you arrange this call? We're you able to use it for your piece? How successful was your '25' idea? I personally like the premise, it's intelligent & original. We're u able to parley this into something bigger, did it help with your future? TIA sir, it's generous of you to share this. I don't even know you, yet I can say that it's amazing how young you once were & sounded! (not that ur old or anything insulting like that,happens to all of us ha ha!)

[@Engardio]

Thanks for your comment. I'm glad you liked the Dave Thomas interview. It was one of the most interesting I've done. Here is a link to the written version that was published in POV magazine: www.engardio.com/pov-dave-thomas Here is another interview that was similarly interesting. It features the ABC News anchor Peter Jennings: www.engardio.com/pov-peter-jennings

[@jimisnotunique]

@@Engardio , I agree with D Grundman, really a good interview, and it sounds like you were a young man yourself back then.

[@sfchris]

Very interesting. Thanks for posting this.

[@philipdefibaugh5683]

Dave Thomas was a boss you could actually hang out with.

[@RobertJamesChinneryH]

wrong... the Colonel was right ...quality the best for consumers

[@wadessirenvideos6750]

I miss you Dave. Wish you could come back and fix everything that's wrong with Wendy's today. Dave Thomas worked so hard at keeping Wendy's one of the best fast food hamburger chains when he ran the show. It's a pathetic place to eat now since there have been many of the wrong kinds of changes made. Wendy's Hamburgers is one of the worst chains now.

[@HollywoodCreeper]

I like it!!! They use fresh beef!

[@bigyodatheman]

@@HollywoodCreeper When you find a good one it holds up, but man it just ain't what it was. Miss the biggie fries too.

[@HollywoodCreeper]

@@bigyodatheman Their natural fries are really good.

[@bigyodatheman]

@@HollywoodCreeper Definitely an improvement, but I'll always miss the biggies.

[@teetertotter68]

They were both geniuses. When they passed, their franchises went bad.

[@sarracene]

, if you think that's bad, then burger king's australian experience is truly horrible. story goes that a man down under was so into bringing burger king (he was just fixated on that chain) to his country, that he contacted the company. now, the difference between them & mcdonalds is that this one is run by a board of directors, while burger king was done by a sole decision maker much like those you mentioned from wendys, KFC.. so the burger king owner, being a stereotypical american thus having limited knowledge about the potential in kangaroo land, thought it'd be a waste of money. the australian guy got so riled up, he showed the BK owner by opening up his own chain, now the aussie-ubiquitous Hungry Jack's, perfectly copying as much as he could burger king's style, delivery & business feel. so by the time BK thought they were ready to go to that part of the world, they were too late. BK tried to sue in australian courts due to patent infringement or the like, but the court down there ruled them going after hungry jack's unconstitutional because BK had been shortsighted enough to not have a worldwide patent until after this australian guy showed some international interest in doing something like that. & that's that:-)

[@OdaSwifteye]

Wendy's switched out wholesome folk for memes and sassy lolis. Truly the darkest timeline.

[@rodneystanger1651]

Add Sam Wall to that list.

[@alexusguillory4622]

Imagine if they made an movie about their relationship

[@billdougan4022]

The McDonalds movie ‘The Founder’, that is what Michael Keaton said as Ray Kroc was to be persistent. @ 10:45

[@dean4075]

we miss you dave southern mn

[@DayClanTribe]

I haven't had Wendy's in years. After listening to this I suddenly feel like taking a drive to the nearest one for dinner.

[@benly32]

"within the laws of man and God"

[@CaptchaNeon]

I've never heard Dave's voice, he sounded different than he looks.

[@frank234561]

Must not have grown up in the 90's

[@clemmonswest262]

Dave Thomas is awesome

[@ArtificialBanana]

I'm surprised Dave wasn't asked about his daughter Wendy.

[@brianflincher4832]

My father in law is related directly to Colonel Sanders and he's in his mid 60's now. He acts a lot like Colonel Sanders and even looks like him its uncanny. It's unfortunate that he's such a hard nose and hard to get along with.

[@FirebirdDude]

Epic!

[@MoonSpeaksTV]

I love this !!! 🍔❤️

[@StarWoors]

I LOVE THIS MAN!

[@moth5737]

so is Dave Thomas the one who is behind the Wendy's Roast? i'll reply to my comment after i've done sum research

[@blazinpuffs]

The GOAT

[@yorkshiere]

mustayshes

[@1f5sda]

He was cool!

[@K1ngT0dd]

burgers french fries and coleslaw for dinner. that's what I'm having. wonder what Dave thinks of that

[@ChickenMcThiccken]

"see you in hell" . i guess you pissed him off

[@OdaSwifteye]

Nothing?

[@MIKECNW]

Married at a young age?Many people marry at 20 something.

[@eddieadams6050]

Ha, he speaks like Bill Murray.

[@GiuseppeGaetanoSabatelli]

Chicago/Cleveland/Akron have a similar accent, and Murray is from Illinois, Dave from Columbus, so maybe Dave picked up a similar dialect.

[@ryacus]

also reminds me of George Wendt who was from Chicago.

[@ericbrufatto5371]

Col. Saunders finally sold KFC, for a measly 2 million dollars, he said in an interview. His Canadian franchises were not included, his entire KFC was given to a Canadian charity (I would like to know the name of the charity).

[@josh24441]

eric brufatto that's true. Rumor is that he was also offered 2-3 million in PepsiCo stock. All his business partners and lawyers all told him to go for the stock, which they all did. Except for him. He went straight for the cash. And as a result he got the worst part of the deal.

[@0neDoomedSpaceMarine]

@@josh24441 A man of strong principles and drive, though perhaps not with the best business sense at all times. Apparently if he visited a KFC restaurant, ordered the chicken, and didn't like it, he'd throw it in the trash and then go into the kitchen and start cooking it himself. That's the kind of thing you do if you have an absolute die hard dedication to your vision.

[@SeanusAurelius]

@@0neDoomedSpaceMarine That's not terrible business sense, although it's surely counterintuitive. A KFC can be mediocre in 49 different ways but that chicken keeps people coming back. It covers a multitude of commercial sins.

[@TheSlowajah]

I work in wendys

[@frank234561]

Mus Stayche Hahaha!

[@elijahfordsidioticvarietys8770]

Awwwww maaaaaan!!! I thought Wendy’s was actually founded by a woman named Wendy!

[@AndrewsOpinion15]

DEAR GOD GIVE US BACK DAVE THOMAS IN RETURN WILL GIVE U JUSTIN BIBER !!!!!!!!

[@carlthornton3076]

Very Good!.. 107 🐄🦉✝

[@MikeGervasi]

2:49 Me too Dave, Me too. Hot and juicy, indeed.

[@maxxmann1972]

Bojangle's has the best chicken. Best tea. Best biscuits. Best fries. Employees are usually always friendly, at one location here anyway, not sure about the other two. Don't eat at Wendy's much, it's ok, used to eat chili, baked potato, and junior bacon cheeseburger quite often, but it moved, to a horrible location, too much traffic to bother with for a dollar menu.

[@laureljade3476]

I've yet to go to bojangles. I'm a die hard fan of Chick-fil-a.

[@marke.8334]

If you all haven't seen a documentary called... It's worse than you think... By revelations of Jesus Christ ministries... I suggest you do... All praise and glory to the most high Jesus Christ

[@ricawalker8086]

Well all the icons of any restaurant business and ever company in the USA and GOD green earth do right and what ever happens at home or anywhere else keep it thier don't being it to work whole at your Job making money just remember the truth u won't regret it and have a good attitude always smile laugh and what ever u do try to stay positive and put GOD first always and make history business for retirement a memories and celebrate good times that is a song you never know either be the manager or is somebody might pass away and they left everything to you and every hard work of success and achievement after that impatience God knows in Jesus name there's a reward after everything you've done how good hard work Got to be the truth though and no lies and most important of all respect definitely rather you earn the respect or just came to you it depends what kind of person you are as a matter of fact in God's way you probably might love them appropriately and say I'll be there for you when you need me or if they stop seeing you or you stop seeing them they believe in you they know you can do it all on your own they gave you good advice they were there for a season other than that God bless good luck. ❤️😉🥳💯

[@Nirv_99]

Fake

[@kylecalderon5680]

Lol. How?

[@TheSlowajah]

I work at wendys