Promo toys were basically the 90s version of, “Well, we’re already buying the food/gas anyway…” and somehow that turned into entire collections.

Fast food chains gave us Happy Meal toys, Burger King Kids Club stuff, character figures, little games, cups and enough plastic to fill a Rubbermaid bin for eternity. Gas stations got in on it too with collectible glasses, mugs, plates and character sets that made people suddenly very committed to filling up at the same place every week.

A lot of it was cheap, weird, incredibly specific and completely irresistible — which is probably why so much of it is still tucked away in basements, china cabinets and collector shelves today. It wasn’t just advertising. It was a whole little treasure hunt attached to everyday errands.