Columbus, Ohio -
World's First Wendy's - Gone

World's First Wendy's - Gone

Where "Where's the beef?" started. Closed in March 2007. Roadsideamerica.com Report...

World's First Wendy's

You already know The First Wendy's was closed for good on March 2. No time was wasted in removing the signage and boarding up the place. [Rebecca Kerewsky, 03/16/2007]

Where's the Beef? Not in Columbus

After years of losing money feeding a shrinking throng in Columbus Ohio's faded downtown, the World's First Wendy's will close on March 2, 2007. The hybrid fast food restaurant/free museum had been operating at a loss, and was too costly to renovate, according to the Wendy's corporation.

... [02/24/2007] Complete News Story

First Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers

Dave opened this store in 1969 after originally being sent to Columbus to work for his mentor, the Colonel. [A.J. Kirkpatrick, 06/16/2002]

[RA: This first store, opened in November 1969 and named after Dave's daughter, spawned the franchise. We visited about ten years ago, when all it displayed to note the event was a plaque (1976) in the foyer and a "Where's the Beef?" poster. As a working reataurant, it was mostly crowded with hungry office workers. By 1996, the first Wendy's was more appreciative of its heritage, featuring interactive kiosks showing old Wendy's commercials, the skillet used to fry the first square burger, the Wendy's Christmas car; and the dress made for founder Dave Thomas' daughter Wendy when she posed for the logo.]