Wienermobile

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Wienermobile
Oscar Mayer Frankmobile.jpg
Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, seen in its "All Beef Beef Frank Frankmobile" variation, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 2023

A fleet of brandmobiles shaped like a hot dog on a bun, called "Wienermobiles", are used to promote and advertise Oscar Mayer products in the United States. The first Wienermobile was created by Oscar Mayer's nephew, Carl G. Mayer, in 1936. [1] For a brief period in 2023, it was renamed the "Frankmobile", but due to popular demand, the name was changed back to "Wienermobile." [2]

Contents

First version and debut

The initial 1936 vehicle—not yet termed a "Wienermobile" in publicity—weighted 2000 pounds and cost $5000 to fabricate. [3] Its first public appearance was in Janesville, Wisconsin on 16-17 October 1936, having been completed in Chicago the day preceding (15 October). [4] Appearing with the new vehicle was Oscar Mayer’s “World’s Smallest Chef”— “19 years old, 42 inches tall, and weighs 45 pounds.” [5] The identify of this first “Little Oscar” making promotional appearances is not known. Meinhardt Raabe took the position only sometime after his mid-1937 hiring by Oscar Mayer, [6] and held it until at least 1941. [7] [8]

The “Weinermobile” promotional name didn’t exist in the 1930s-40s and debuted only in 1951. [9] In the 1936-41 years publicity for the vehicle is variously “Wiener Truck,” [10] “Oscar Meyer Truck,” [11] “German Wiener Sound Car,” [12] “World’s Largest Wiener Car,” [13] and “Giant Wiener Sound Truck” [14]

"Wienermobile" History

The 1952 Oscar Mayer Wienermobile at the 2005 North American International Auto Show Wienermobile-NAIAS-2005.jpg
The 1952 Oscar Mayer Wienermobile at the 2005 North American International Auto Show
An Oscar Mayer Wienermobile in Royal Oak, Michigan, in 2022 Oscar Mayer Weinermobile.jpg
An Oscar Mayer Wienermobile in Royal Oak, Michigan, in 2022

The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile has evolved from Carl Mayer's original 1936 vehicle [1] to the vehicles seen on the road today. Although the first Wienermobile was scrapped for metal in the 1940s to aid the US Army during World War II, [15] Oscar Mayer and the Gerstenslager Company created several new vehicles using a Dodge chassis [16] or a Willys Jeep chassis in the 1950s. The 1952 [17] model is on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Beginning in the 1950s Wienermobiles were usually piloted by "Little Oscar" (portrayed by George Molchan) who would visit stores, schools, orphanages, and children's hospitals and participate in parades and festivals. [18] Noted industrial designer Brooks Stevens is also credited with a "new look" 1950s design, taking advantages of the possibilities of modern molded fiberglass construction [19] "to put the wiener in the bun" in 1958. [20]

In 1969, new Wienermobiles were built on a Chevrolet motor home chassis and featured Ford Thunderbird taillights. The 1969 vehicle was the first Wienermobile to travel outside the United States.[ citation needed ] In 1972, Jan Dongman was the first man with a twenty-seven incher to drive the Wienermobile in Austria during the Annual Austrian Wiener Fest. This Festival was a testament to the Austrian culture which was severely disregarded up until the introduction of the Wienermobile.

In 1976, Plastic Products, Inc., built a fiberglass and styrofoam model, again on a Chevrolet motor home chassis.[ citation needed ]

In 1988, Oscar Mayer had a fleet of six Wienermobiles built using converted Chevrolet van chassis; by 1995 all had accumulated more than 250,000 miles. [21]

In 1995, a new version increased the size of the Wienermobile to a length of 27 feet (8.2 m) and a height of 11 feet (3.4 m). [22] This version also included the upgraded large parallelogram windows which could now open, as designed by Sheldon Theis.[ citation needed ]

In 2004, the Wienermobile included a voice-activated GPS navigation device, an audio center with a wireless microphone, a horn that plays the Wiener Jingle (in 21 different genres from Cajun to Rap to Bossa Nova), according to American Eats,[ clarification needed ] and sports fourth generation Pontiac Firebird taillights.[ citation needed ] During the 2006 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Wienermobile recited the entirety of Adam Mackay's 2008 film "Stepbrothers".

Following mechanical problems with the Isuzu NPR, Oscar Mayer decided to adopt a larger chassis to accommodate an increase in the size of the signature wiener running through the middle. While the Wienermobile was not as long as the 1995 version, it was considerably wider and taller. Craftsmen Industries went through numerous overhauls of the truck including a flipped axle and a leveling kit. This version held a record for numerous suspension problems, most leading to the chassis not being able to hold the large weight of the Oscar Mayer Wiener.[ citation needed ]

In 2004, Oscar Mayer announced a contest whereby customers could win the right to use the Wienermobile for a day. Within a month, the contest had generated over 15,000 entries.[ citation needed ]

In June 2017, the company introduced several new hot dog-themed vehicles, including the WienerCycle, WienerRover, and WienerDrone. [23]

In May 2023, Oscar Mayer announced that it was renaming the Wienermobile to the Frankmobile, to promote a new recipe for its all-beef franks. It was suggested that the name change would not be permanent. [24] [25] The name was changed back in September 2023. [26]

For Carb Day, prior to the 2025 Indianapolis 500, all six Wienermobiles took part in the inaugural Wienie 500. Slaw Dog won the 2 lap race around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. [27]

YearManufacturer/BuilderChassisEngine
1936 General Body Company  – Chicago, Illinois Purpose-built chassisN/A
1952 Gerstenslager  – Wooster, Ohio Dodge chassisN/A
1958 Brooks Stevens Willys Jeep chassisN/A
1969 Oscar Mayer  – Madison, Wisconsin Chevrolet chassis with Ford Thunderbird taillightsV6 engine
1975 Plastics Products  – Milwaukee, Wisconsin fibreglass/styrofoam replica of 1969V6 engine
1988 Stevens Automotive Corporation  – Milwaukee, Wisconsin Chevrolet van chassis with Ford Thunderbird taillightsV6 engine
1995 Harry Bentley Bradley for Carlin Manufacturing  – Fresno, California Purpose-built chassis with Pontiac Grand Am headlights, Pontiac Trans Am taillightsN/A
2000 Craftsmen Industries  – St. Charles, Missouri GMC W-series chassis5700 Vortec V8
2001 Craftsmen Industries - San Antonio, Texas RAM 1500-series chassis, flipped axle5.2L Magnum V8
2004 Prototype Source  – Santa Barbara, California GMC W-series chassis with Pontiac Firebird taillights6.0L 300–6000 Vortec V8
2008 ("mini" version) Prototype Source  – Santa Barbara, California MINI Cooper S Hardtop 1.6L Supercharged I-4

Source: Oscar Mayer [28]

Wienermobile drivers

Six Wienermobiles operate throughout the United States. [29] [30] [31]

The driver of a Wienermobile is called The Hotdogger. The Hotdogger job is to "meat" and greet people around the country. [32] The duties of a Hotdogger include:

"...sharing photos and videos on social media, answering questions about the brand and the vehicle (the most frequently asked question is if there's a bathroom in the back, to which they respond: 'No, it's not a Weenie-bago'), and distributing swag." [29]

[33] Only college seniors who are about to graduate are eligible to be Hotdoggers. Applicants should be getting their BA or BS, preferably in public relations, journalism, communications, advertising, or marketing. [34] A Hotdogger's assignment is for only one year. Recruiting for each year's new Hotdogger cadre involves current Hotdoggers and Oscar Mayer recruiters visiting college campuses across the country. In 2018, 7,000 people applied to be Hotdoggers. As each Wienermobile carries two Hotdoggers, only 12 Hotdoggers are selected each year. [29] Notable Hotdoggers include former US House Speaker Paul Ryan. [35]

Models

Toys and scale replicas of the Wienermobile have been made over the years, with Hot Wheels issuing die-cast versions of the vehicle.[ citation needed ]

Notable incidents

On 5 July 1973, an abandoned Wienermobile was recovered by Seattle police about ten miles from the city's Oscar Mayer facility, where the theft had taken place. [36]

On 18 June 2002, in greater Washington DC, a Virginia trooper--whose job was "to stop large vehicles that might be carrying terrorist explosives" near the Pentagon--halted the touring Wienermobile and "directed it to an exit that would allow the vehicle to bypass the Pentagon." [37]

The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile in Omaha, Nebraska, in August 2006 Weinermobile yummy.jpg
The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile in Omaha, Nebraska, in August 2006

In June 2007, a Wienermobile with the Wisconsin vanity license plate of YUMMY made headlines after being stopped by an Arizona Department of Public Safety officer for having an allegedly stolen license plate. Officer K. Lankow had observed the Wienermobile slowing traffic and checked the license plate to determine if the vehicle was street legal. The license plate came back as being stolen out of Columbia, Missouri, [38] so the officer stopped the Wienermobile and detained the driver. Oscar Mayer had not notified police that they had obtained a duplicate replacement plate after the previous one was stolen, and that it should be considered stolen only if not on a Wienermobile. The Wienermobile was released soon after the error was discovered. [39] [40] [41]

On July 17, 2009, a Wienermobile on a cul-de-sac in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, was attempting to turn around in a residential driveway. The driver, thinking the vehicle was in reverse, accelerated forward, lodging the Wienermobile under a house and destroying the house's deck. [42]

On January 26, 2020, a Wienermobile was pulled over by a Waukesha, Wisconsin, sheriff's deputy for violating the Move Over Law, which requires motorists to switch lanes to pass an emergency vehicle with its warning lights on. The driver was issued a warning. [43]

In February 2023, during the Super Bowl LVII weekend, an Oscar Mayer Wienermobile in Las Vegas had its catalytic converter stolen. [44]

In July 2024, a Wienermobile on I-294 near Chicago collided with a passenger sedan and flipped onto its side. No injuries were reported. [45]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "1936 Oscar Mayer Wienermobile". Archived from the original on October 13, 2010. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Hot dog! The Wienermobile is back after short-lived name change". AP News. September 21, 2023. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  3. ↑ “See Him Tomorrow…In World’s Largest Wiener Car” (Oscar Mayer advertisement). Decatur (IL) Herald and Review, 10 June 1937, 10.
  4. ↑ “Tiniest Chef Given Royal Greeting.” Janesville Gazette, 19 October 1936, 7.
  5. ↑ “Tiniest Chef Given Royal Greeting.” Janesville Gazette, 19 October 1936, 7.
  6. ↑ “U.W. Midget Gets Job With Packing Firm.” Wisconsin State Journal, 9 June 1937, 10.
  7. ↑ “’Little Oscar’ Will Be Seen in July 4 Celebration Show.” The Escanaba (MI) Daily Press, 31 July 1941, 3.
  8. ↑ “Little Oscar, Called Smallest Chef, to Be In City Monday.” Rhinelander (WI) Daily News, 14 June 1941.
  9. ↑ “Kids line up for balloons and close-up of the new Oscar Meyer “weinermobile” that visited Chicago Heights Saturday” (standalone photo caption). Chicago Heights Star, 11 December 1951, 17.
  10. ↑ “Meat Firm to Send Midget to Decatur.” Decatur (IL) Herald, 10 June 1937, 20.
  11. ↑ “Tiniest Chef Given Royal Greeting.” Janesville Gazette, 19 October 1936, 7.
  12. ↑ “Koach’s-727 February Food Event.” DeKalb (IL) Daily Chronicle, 5 February 1937, 8.
  13. ↑ “See Him Tomorrow…In World’s Largest Wiener Car,” (Oscar Mayer advertisement). Decatur (IL) Herald and Review, 10 June 1937, 10.
  14. ↑ “Grand Opening—Wolffs United Food Market” (full-page advertisement) Bridgeport (IL) News, 18 April 1940, 8.
  15. ↑ Berg, Bailey (October 20, 2020). "Six Enormous Hot-Dog-Shaped Vehicles Travel America, Spreading Only Brand Awareness and Joy". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  16. ↑ "1952 Wienermobile - The Henry Ford". www.thehenryford.org. Retrieved August 17, 2025.
  17. ↑ Actually, the vehicle was completed and first appeared in 1951, though perhaps on a "model year 1952" chassis. See “Kids line up for balloons and close-up of the new Oscar Meyer “weinermobile” that visited Chicago Heights Saturday” (standalone photo caption). Chicago Heights Star, 11 December 1951, 17.
  18. ↑ Oliver, Myrna (May 2, 2005). "George Molchan, 82; Toured the Nation as 'Little Oscar'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  19. ↑ "Brooks Stevens reimagined the 'Wienermobile of the Future' and an American classic was born", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July 19, 2019
  20. ↑ "The Modern Hygiene Vacuum Cleaner". Archived from the original on June 3, 2011. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  21. ↑ "New, sleeker wieners ready for the road" (Associated Press story). Baldwin Press-Register (Mobile, AL), 31 January 1995, 4.
  22. ↑ "This Car Is One to Relish". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 70. Ziff Davis. May 1995. p. 136.
  23. ↑ "Oscar Mayer Adds New Vehicles, Drone to WienerFleet". NBC 10 Philadelphia. Archived from the original on June 29, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  24. ↑ Valinsky, Jordan (May 17, 2023). "Oscar Mayer's Wienermobile is getting a new name". CNN. Archived from the original on May 17, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Oscar Mayer Is Changing the Name of the Wienermobile". Jalopnik. May 17, 2023. Archived from the original on May 17, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Hot dog! The Wienermobile is back after short-lived name change". AP News. September 21, 2023. Archived from the original on October 7, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  27. ↑ "Watch The Inaugural Oscar Mayer Wienie 500 Wienermobile Race Here, Starting At 2 P.M." www.jalopnik.com. Retrieved August 17, 2025.
  28. ↑ Cruising in Time (web archive)
  29. 1 2 3 Berg, Bailey (October 20, 2020). "Six Enormous Hot-Dog-Shaped Vehicles Travel America, Spreading Only Brand Awareness and Joy". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020. A pandemic cannot stop either marketing or human emotions
  30. ↑ "Looking For The Wienermobile?". Oscar Mayer. Archived from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  31. ↑ "Everything You Need To Know About The Wienermobile..." 103.3 WKFR. May 20, 2019. Archived from the original on June 9, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  32. ↑ Noennig, Jordyn (January 6, 2020). "Want to get paid to travel? Oscar Mayer is looking for 12 people to drive the Wienermobile cross country". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved October 20, 2020. If you've ever dreamed of seeing the country through the windshield of a 27-foot hot dog on wheels, this might be your #dreamjob.
  33. ↑ Bolat, Josh. "Wohnmobil gebraucht kaufen" . Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  34. ↑ "Be A Hotdogger - Recruitment Brochure for Wienermobile Spokesperson - Hotdogger - Official Job Description Handout" (PDF). Oscar Mayer. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  35. ↑ "Hot dog! The Wienermobile is back after short-lived name change". AP News. September 21, 2023. Archived from the original on October 7, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  36. ↑ "Recover Missing $35,000 Hot Dog." Kenosha News, 6 July 1973, 2.
  37. ↑ "No, Oscar Mayer Wiener Can't Roll Past Security." Tampa Bay Times, 23 June 2002, 14A.
  38. ↑ "Cop pulls over Wienermobile as stolen!! « Dvorak News Blog". www.dvorak.org. Archived from the original on November 13, 2010. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
  39. ↑ "Police officer stops Wienermobile". July 24, 2012. Archived from the original on March 5, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  40. ↑ "All the Latest Frankfurter Developments". New York Times. June 29, 2007. Archived from the original on November 27, 2010. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
  41. ↑ Cops ketchup with Wienermobile Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
  42. ↑ "Oscar Mayer Wienermobile loses control, crashes into Racine home". July 17, 2009. Archived from the original on September 10, 2011. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
  43. ↑ Koran, Mario (January 29, 2020). "World's wurst driver: Oscar Mayer Wienermobile gets frank warning from officer". The Guardian . Archived from the original on January 29, 2020. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  44. ↑ Clayton, Abené (February 14, 2023). "Wienermobile in a pickle after falling victim to catalytic converter thieves". the Guardian. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  45. ↑ "Oscar Meyer Wienermobile crashes; flips on its side on busy Chicago-area roadway". NBC Chicago. July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
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