Godzilla White Castle Promotional Toys (Strottman International, Inc., 1990)

Here's a little-known footnote in the annals of Godzilla history.  In 1990, there was actually a Godzilla kids' meal promotion.  These days we would think there had to be a new movie, animated show, video game, or something to promote, but this promotion just was.  Even stranger, the promotion was at White Castle.

For anyone who doesn't know, White Castle is the very first fast food hamburger chain in the US, beating McDonald's by many years (in fact, when the McDonald brothers were starting their business, they sent employees to White Castle to learn how they did things).  They are famous for small-sized burgers that can be eaten by the plateful.  The problem is, White Castle is regional.  Even today, they have hundreds of restaurants, but are only in 13 states.

The promotion was called GODZILLA DEVOURS CASTLE MEAL, "Castle Meal" being the name of their kids' meal.  As everybody knows, the most important thing about the kids' meal is the toy, and there were four Godzilla toys to choose from, with a new one each week.  The toys were produced by a company called Strottman International, Inc.

WEEK ONE: Inflatable Godzilla

This was a Godzilla that was constructed like a pool toy.  Imperial of course had issued the famous 6-foot inflatable in 1985 (and would issue several other sizes in 1992), but this is the only other inflatable Godzilla I can think of, and as far as I know, the only other inflatable kids' meal/Happy Meal toy I've ever seen. (It just seems like this sort of thing would be fraught with liabilities today.)

Also, I imagine it was expensive to produce, especially for its intended purpose.  It's also the kind of toy that you give a kid to play with...for a very short time.  Sort of like a balloon (today nobody gives kids balloons; see comment about liability), it's just destined to pop.

WEEK TWO:  GODZILLA SPINNER

Let's be honest and just call this a "throwing star," and get it over with.  This is one of those toys that looks super-awesome but doesn't always work the way it's supposed to (there are suction cups all around the edges).  It's definitely one of the most appealing toys in the group, the kind of thing that would be on the header card for a gumball machine, and I'd put rolls of quarters in, trying to win it. It just looks so cool.

WEEK THREE: GODZILLA FLYER

The Godzilla flyer is a 6-inch mini-frisbee.  It bears a relief of the same Godzilla portrait that can be found on the throwing st--I mean, spinner.  Interestingly, this and the spinner are the only places in this promotion where you can see the now-classic GODZILLA logo, you know the one.  The one that started in 1977 for everything that said KING OF THE MONSTERS, such as the Marvel comic:

I just thought that was interesting, as everywhere else in the promotion, there are just various fonts used.

WEEK FOUR: GODZILLA WATER SQUIRTER

This may be the most famous toy of the group.  It would be hard for me to pick a favorite, though.  I don't love the sculpt here, but it is really the only full, figural representation of the four.  The inflatable was a brave inclusion, but I think this one would better stand up to being played with.  

Also, this toy included paperwork.  You would expect one side of the little flyer to be instructions on how to draw up water into the toy, but nope.  It's just informative:

32-OUNCE PLASTIC CUPS

One other collectible included in this line were four different plastic cups.  It's easy to miss the fact that there was actually a different one each week, especially since the cups look very much alike at first glance.  Here is a photo from ACTION FIGURE NEWS #5 (Winter 1992) that shows all four together:

There are also various store displays from this promotion that exist.  All in all, the White Castle Godzilla promotion of 1990 is like a wrinkle in time (I've heard that phrase before somewhere).  It seems like something from an alternate, better universe.  I mean, who didn't always want classic Godzilla Happy Meals? And it actually happened!