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You know that Oscar Mayer jingle about bologna? The one that was aired in 1976 and went a little something like: “…because Oscar Mayer has a way with B-O-L-O-G-N-A”. Yeah, that one?
If that’s not ringing a bell perhaps you’re familiar with the original jingle, made all the way back in 1963, that starts out “Oh, I’d love to be an Oscar Mayer wiener…” and ends “…’cause if I were an Oscar Mayer wiener, everyone would be in love with me!”
Refreshing your memory yet? Well, whichever jingle is your favorite, be prepared to sing it all night long while you sleep in an actual Oscar Mayer Wienermobile through AirBnB.
Wait… what’s a Wienermobile?
If you’re not familiar with the Wienermobile, we won’t hold it against you. It’s most prevalent in the mid-west given that its rich history started in Chicago, Illinois.
The whole thing began in 1873 with the arrival of Oscar F. Mayer from Bavaria. Only fourteen years old, he started working as a butcher boy in Detroit, then went on to work retail in Chicago. Finally, in 1883, he used these experiences to open the first-ever Oscar Mayer shop, making a grand total of $59 on its first day.
Oscar Mayer’s modest beginnings slowly grew in size and popularity throughout the years. Eventually, Oscar Mayer purchased a small meatpacking plant and designed their signature “yellow band” that indicated high quality. Despite their success, they started looking for new ways to improve the business when the Great Depression rolled around.
Sure enough, Oscar Mayer’s nephew Karl G. Mayer came up with the idea that would change everything: he envisioned the soon-to-be-famous, orange and yellow vehicle shaped like a wiener.
This automobile measure 13 feet long at the time and cost 5,000 dollars, and it was a machine excited customers everywhere. Kids flocked to it in the streets for a chance to grab one of the Wienermobile whistles that drivers handed out to passerby. Adults would shout and point when they saw it turn a corner. And from that day on, Oscar Mayer would never be the same.
Since the original Wienermobile in 1936, the vehicle underwent many changes in size and design, but would eventually reach the maximum dimensions of 27 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 11 feet high. That’s one big wiener!
Six more Wienermobiles were brought into existence in the 1980s, and college students from all over the U.S.A. got the special opportunity to sit behind the wheel of one. They spent summers touring the country, riding “shotbun”, and blasting 21 variations of the Oscar Mayer jingle from the top-notch stereo system. Could there exist a better summer job?
And now you get to sleep in one!
AirBnB has made sure the whimsy of Wiener-fandom lives to see another day. You can now reserve a night to sleep, breathe, and eat hot dog in the iconic Oscar Mayer Wienermobile located in the Fulton River District of Chicago. Enjoy a mini-fridge stashed with wieners, a roller grill you can take home with you, and a wiener-welcome kit for all of your hot dog needs.
Inside the van, you will find a pull-out couch, a small television, a sitting area, and a stereo complete all in the red and yellow Oscar Mayer colors. It only sleeps two people, however, so don’t try to bring the whole family! A hot dog picnic area and bathroom access are available adjacent to your Wiener-chambers. Hot dog debate is also highly encouraged, as the listing prompts guests to discuss whether a hot dog qualifies as a sandwich (according to the hosts, it does).
So what, you may ask, is the price of this experience that comes only once in a lifetime? You can get all of this hot dog goodness for – drum roll, please – under $150 dollars a night. That’s right, you can make all of your wiener dreams come true for the same price as a dinner out with the family.
One reviewer calls the opportunity “an evening to hearken back to one’s childhood fantasies yet live them out like an adult”. Sounds about right for a sleepover in a giant hot dog.
Another reviewer, after their night in the Wienermobile, described their plan of “bragging about this for years”. And truly, how could you not constantly talk about that one time you slept in a wiener?
The people behind this quirky idea
Wondering who the masterminds are behind the curtain?
Hosts AlexanDog and Jake N’ Bacon are a duo taking a year-long tour of the United States in their beloved Wienermobile. They expressed their love for what they do in an interview with AirBnB, describing the many different people they’ve met and places they’ve been. They reportedly wanted to “share the love” by turning their Wienermobile into accommodation for guests.
AlexanDog explains that her adventures with Oscar Mayer has taught her not to take life too seriously, and Jake N’ Bacon attests that the trip has shown him that everyone has a story to tell.
And thanks to their innovative creation, AirBnB and Oscar Mayer have agreed to contribute a joint amount of $5,000 to Rise Against Hunger.
If you’re like AlexanDog and don’t like to take life too seriously, or are simply a lover of hot dogs, this unique experience could be for you. So pack your relish, toast your buns, and prepare to have a night like no other inside the world’s only Wiener-home.