These miniature Tonka toys shaped as various transportation vehicles transform into GoBots. In 1986, Wendy’s, the fast-food chain, sold GoBots to promote the GoBot toys, animated series, and movie. GoBots were a line of transforming robot toys based on the Japanese Machine Robo toys by Poppy, a division of Bandai. Tonka acquired the rights to distribute Machine Robo toys in the United States in 1983 and rebranded them as GoBot toys. Tonka also partnered with Hanna-Barbera to create the animated series Challenge of the GoBots, which provided a backstory for the toys. The show premiered on September 8, 1984, just nine days before Hasbro’s animated series Transformers. In Challenge of the GoBots, the GoBots were once human-like beings who transferred their brains into shape-shifting robot bodies and engaged in a civil war between the heroic Guardians and the evil Renegades.

Wendy’s founder, Dave Thomas (1932 – 2002), opened the first Wendy’s restaurant on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio. The fast-food chain gained recognition for its square beef patties and Frosty desserts. During the 1980s, Wendy’s, along with other fast-food chains like McDonald’s, Sonic, Burger King, and Subway, offered toys as part of their kids’ meals.