Wendy's Founder Told His Daughter He Was 'Sorry' for Naming the Restaurant After Her

It's one of the most recognizable faces in fast food. But for the woman behind the logo, becoming a global icon came with a hidden cost—and a late apology from her father. Wendy Thomas Morse, the namesake of the Wendy's restaurant chain, recently revealed that its founder, her father Dave Thomas, regretted putting her in the spotlight.

The Girl Behind the Pigtails

When Dave Thomas opened his first hamburger joint in Columbus, Ohio, in 1969, he decided to name it after one of his five children. He landed on the nickname of his daughter, Melinda Lou: Wendy. Morse was just 8 years old when she became the official face of a brand that would grow into an international chain with thousands of locations.

A Father's Regret: 'I'm Really Sorry I Did That'

In a recent interview with PEOPLE, Morse shared a conversation that took place about a decade before her father's death. "He just goes, 'I'm really sorry I did that to you,'" she recalled. Thomas reportedly added that he "probably should just named it Dave's and that'd been a lot easier." For Morse, it was a meaningful moment. "It was just nice to hear that he felt for me a little bit, like the pressure and the responsibility of being the namesake of a restaurant," she added.

Dave Thomas passed away in 2002 at the age of 69. While Wendy's is a public company, Morse and her siblings still own quite a few franchises. She mentioned that people often incorrectly assume she has profited immensely just by being the face of the brand. "They think that there's a pot of gold behind that," she said. "I'm honored that I represent the brand and I try to represent it well."