A little short of 90 years ago, Carl Mayer did the impossible. He was a man with a dream, a dream to take one of America’s budding confections, the simple hot dog, and turn it into an advertising juggernaut the likes of which the world had never seen. No one had ever attempted to turn a hot dog into a car (as far as we know), and many questions would need to be answered: All beef, or a blend? Seeded or seedless bun? Ketchup or mustard? Gas or diesel?

The task was daunting, but thanks to many sleepless nights, the Wienermobile was finally born. However, even with his magnum opus completed, one question loomed larger than any other: Would America accept a driving hot dog?

He faced adversity (unlikely) and nonbelievers (more likely) along the way, but as soon as the masses saw his creation, he etched the Oscar Mayer name into history. Nearly a century later, the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile has become a staple of American culture. It’s a beacon of light in the wasteland, bringing joy and brightening the day of thousands of people who happen upon the 27-foot-driving delicacies every year.

It’s odd, intriguing, and alluring all at the same time, attracting both hot dog lovers and non-hot dog lovers alike; yet, the only thing more interesting than the hot dogs themselves are the people who drive them. We had a chance to sit down with one Hotdogger – Pippy Croce, aka Pickle Pip – during one of his last Wienermobile stops in Pittsburgh, PA, before giving up his hot dog keys for good. He gave us the inside scoop on what it’s like to work one of the most obscure and sought-after jobs in the US, and the surprising impact driving a hot dog-shaped automobile has on everyday Americans.

We Want You To Drive The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile

As hard as it can be to believe, Pippy hadn’t always dreamed of driving a 27-foot hot dog, but life has a funny way of working things out. “Five years ago, when I was in Glacier National Park, I was walking out to dinner with my family when we saw the Wienermobile just parked there. I was like, ‘What is this giant hot dog doing in the most unlikely of places?’ And then I never thought anything about it again.”

Of course, he did think about it again, years later when he stumbled upon a job posting for a chance to drive one of them on, of all places, LinkedIn. It turns out the company doesn’t just slip golden tickets into packs of hot dogs a la Willy Wonka, but instead has a rigorous application process. Thousands across the country compete for one of 12 positions to drive a hot dog across the country for a year with a co-pilot, traveling to dozens of cities, living out of more hotels than one can count, and conducting hundreds of events to spread the Oscar Mayer spirit.

“My year, 7,000 people applied, and 12 people cut the mustard. So I feel like a lucky dog, which is great.”

He started with rounds of online interviews, before traveling to Madison, Wisconsin – home of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile – to compete head-to-head with many who have dreams of hitting the open road in the rolling creations.

“I had such a special experience, and it makes you fall in love with the job. You learn all about the history of Oscar Mayer, how the Wienermobile started out of the Great Depression as a way to spark smiles, and it shows you how the main purpose is to spread joy. It really makes you fall in love with the job.”

After weeks of grueling, cutthroat competition, Pippy finally received the call that he was one of the “chosen buns”, and the trajectory of his life changed in an instant. “You never think it’s going to be you, until you get that job, but I thought this is the most amazing thing in the world. I was over the moon.”

You May Not Need A License To Drive A Sandwich, But You Do To Drive A Hot Dog

From there, it’s off to Hot Dog High, where the 12 lucky applicants are given an in-depth course into the history and goals of the Oscar Mayer brand, as well as learn enough hot dog puns to make your head spin. More importantly, they become intimately acquainted with their new rolling hot dog home for the next year. “The vehicle is 27 feet long, or 60 hot dogs long, whatever you like to measure in,” Pippy says. “11 feet tall, or 24 hot dogs tall, and 140,500 hot dogs in weight, or 14,050 lbs, so it’s a pretty big dog.”

While many probably think some old GM or Ford truck is hiding underneath, this is only partly true, as it’s mostly a bespoke build created by Special Vehicles Company (Spevco) out of North Carolina, using a cab-forward box chassis and powered by a 6.0-liter Chevy small block V8, putting out 330 horsepower. This is more than enough grunt to power this fiberglass body around, complete with room for six, two ACs, a touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, “Bun” roofs, and even a Ham radio to pass the time while “hauling buns” down the highway. They receive new vehicles every few years or so, but the model he was driving was produced in 2024.

He goes on to say they started off learning to drive Penske box trucks, especially how to back up only using the mirrors, as well as getting used to the heft behind driving such a massive vehicle, because it takes more getting used to than driving a Chevy Express. Then they pick up the refreshed vehicles, drive them up to Madison, and head off on their journey.

Six Wienermobiles are driven around at all times in different regions of the country – East, Central, Midwest, West, South, and Southeast – and each has its own unique license plate to give it that little bit of extra flavor. While driving in the Central region (Minnesota to Texas), he co-piloted “OUR DOG”, before heading to the Southeast region and hopping in “OH I WISH”. While the names change, for 2024–2025, the other names consisted of RELISH ME, BIG BUN, YUMMY, and OSCAR MAYER.

Drivers are paired up and given a section of the country they’ll patrol for the first half of their stint, before joining up with a new co-pilot, hopping in a new Wienermobile, and heading off to a new area for the second half. Sharing an experience like this creates an all-beef bond between the drivers. “It’s a sibling mentality,” says Pippy. “You’re a team, and no one can relate to what you’re going through besides your co-pilot in that moment, so you really bond with them in a way you don’t expect.”

A Million Smiles A Gallon

Setting off on a journey to drive a hot dog across the country may seem like a laughing matter, and it often is, but it also has a lot more meaning than one can imagine. Generations of Americans have enjoyed seeing the Wienermobile because it breaks up the monotony of life and forces you to come face to face with the absurd. “The people drive you,” he says. “You can be having a really crummy day, but for many people, it’s their first time seeing the Wienermobile, and their enthusiasm is infectious, and that joy elevates you.”

He equates it to seeing life in grayscale, and all of a sudden, you’re pulled into color like a scene out of The Wizard of Oz. “It’s beautiful, it just lights up the whole world.”

Case in point, while driving along with Pippy through the sometimes perilous streets of Pittsburgh, we were able to experience firsthand the kind of joy it sparks. Everyone stops and stares, phones get pulled out, and even cars pull over to get a picture with a vehicle they may never see again in person. The smiles are instant and infectious, and one can’t help but feel like a mix between a rockstar and Santa Claus with all the attention it receives.

“You see it in everything you do. Driving down the road in rush hour traffic, people are having tough days, but as soon as they see the Wienermobile, their eyes light up.”

Due to this attention, it turns out, driving a hot dog also grants you access to some pretty incredible places. “Denver, Colorado, and Houston, Texas, were highlights, because of their great culture and really vibrant art scenes, but one of my favorite spots was actually Burlington, Iowa.” There, they were working an event at 34 Raceway, when they were invited onto the track for the national anthem. Sitting on top of the Wienermobile while dressed in a hot dog costume, Pippy waved the American flag to the delight of thousands of spectators. “It was like a dream, and easily one of the most special things at a time I least expected it.”

Another sporadic moment came at a Jewel-Osco grocery store in Illinois, when he was met by 69 German musicians from Oscar Mayer’s hometown who had flown halfway across the world to visit the famed German’s gravesite. “So Mustard Maddie (his co-pilot at the time) and I were there in hot dog costumes just dancing around as they played. It was the most insane stuff, and we bonded with them even though they barely spoke English.”

With so many experiences, it’s probably hard to pick a favorite, but a highlight of his journey came a week after our interview: the inaugural Oscar Mayer Wienie 500. The second-biggest race that took place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Memorial Day weekend, all six Wienermobiles were, for the first time, at the same place at the same time, and went head-to-head in a no-holds-barred grudge match on the track for hot dog glory.

Pippy rode “shot bun” for this one, with “Grill Em Up Ellie” taking the driver’s seat. Piloting the #05 Seattle Dog, they left it all out on the track, but unfortunately, 4th place was all they could “mustard”. However, it was a moment he’ll never forget, mostly because he managed to carve it up in front of 80,000 screaming fans right before the greatest spectacle in racing.

Oh, I Wish I Were An Oscar Meyer Wiener

It may sound corny, but even those quick moments help to change your outlook on life. We were only in the Wienermobile for about an hour, but he’s driven in it every day for a year, and the experience is going to stay with him for life.

“I think the Wienermobile is such a beacon of light, and I think I’m going to miss the spontaneity of it. People are so open and accepting of it, and I’m going to miss just how happy people are to see such a beautiful vehicle.”

These interactions drove him throughout the entire journey and made the sometimes grueling schedule a little easier to deal with. However, he wouldn’t trade it for the world, and only had one thing to say when asked if a person is on the fence about applying for the position. “Do it, it’s the best decision I’ve ever made in my life. 100%. Go in with open arms. Everyone has the capability to make joy and spark smiles, and all I can think is ‘why not you?'”

He recommended following some Hotdoggers on social media to get an idea of what the job is like, and not to be afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone. At the end of the day, the Wienermobile is just a hot dog, but it’s the people inside the hot dog house that turn it into a hot dog home, spreading joy in the most unexpected places.

Before our interview, we even witnessed a particularly heartwarming moment when, stopped at a stoplight, a woman put down her window and started to sing the famed Oscar Mayer theme song, with Pippy soon joining along. Stuck in the middle, the moment barely felt real, because who imagines they’d be sitting in a 27-foot hot dog as “Oh I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Wiener…” is being sung around you?

However, it quickly became a memory we’ll never forget, and we feel that woman would agree. It was spontaneous and fun, a completely innocent interaction that leaves a lasting impression, a reminder of what the Wienermobile is all about. It almost brings a tear to our eye, but mostly makes us hungry, so excuse us while we head to the local grocery store to grab some of Oscar Mayer’s best.

Sources: Kraft Heinz