The Wendy's Logo Myth That's Just Not True

People love a conspiracy theory, especially if it involves secret messages and hidden codes. There is a reason that "National Treasure" was such a popular movie. In our everyday lives, we don't come across secret messages to decode all that often, but it doesn't mean we can't look for them. Company logos are notorious for being picked apart and interpreted in imaginative and unusual ways. And that is true for the famous Wendy's logo featuring an illustration of a red-haired girl. According to some, the word "mom" is hidden there.

In 2013, Wendy's unveiled a new version of its logo. It was an updated version of the familiar cartoon image of a red-haired girl in pigtails, paired with the restaurant's name in a simpler red text. Wendy herself got a bit of a modern upgrade, which included a new styling of the old-fashioned dress she used to wear. Before, the dress had a full ruffle at the neck, but now the collar was more basic with just a few lines and a circle in the center. But people immediately thought that the collar spelled out the word "mom" and the story spread through the media with claims that it was a hidden message. There were message board discussions, YouTube videos, and Reddit threads that kept appearing for years after the fact. A good fast-food myth captures the imagination, and the idea that Wendy's had hidden a message in the logo was just too appealing to ignore.

Wendy's responded to speculation by saying any message in the logo was unintentional. Does it look like mom? Sure. But they didn't do that on purpose. It's just the way things line up and, really, it's not very explicit, either. It looks kind of like mom, but it's hardly clear as day.

Even though people have been posting about it for over 10 years now, it's worth remembering the story behind Wendy's. Dave Thomas founded the restaurant and named it after his daughter Wendy. At no point in the restaurant's history has a mom factored into the story.

Wendy's mother, Lorraine Thomas, was married to founder Dave Thomas for 47 years. She was never involved in the running of the restaurant at any level, however, so it would be odd for the chain to include reference to any mom in the logo. It's just not what the restaurant is known for. If they were going to hide a message, you would think it would be something related to the business or the people who run it.

Some suggestions were that it was a subliminal way to make you think of home cooking or a loving environment, but that seems like a bit of a stretch. The idea that it has to do with home cooking is especially odd since Wendy's has never advertised itself that way. Old-fashioned burgers? Sure, but never anything like "homemade" or "like mom used to make". In fact, Wendy's best burger is still named after Dave — Dave's Single — so while the restaurant may be based on a family, it is centered more around dad than mom. It being unintentional really makes the most sense.