Bellevue played host to a piece of Americana as the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile visited Top Food and Drug on Nov. 21.

“It’s pretty snazzy,” said Bellevue resident Dorothy Walker. “I’ve never been so close to one.”

Wienermobile crew members, known as “hotdoggers,” handed out coupons and gave Wienerwhistles to spectators who sang the company jingle.

“Once they got me started, I had it going,” said Tracy Torgerson. “I love the Wienermobile. It brings back memories of my childhood.”

The first wienie on wheels was a 13 footer that hit the streets of Chicago in 1936, after Oscar Mayer’s nephew pitched the idea as an advertising gimmick. The concept has since bounced in and out of retirement.

The Wienermobile took its first hiatus in the 1940s due to World War II fuel rationing, but it came back larger with a 22-foot frame in 1950.

Two more versions appeared before the fleet went back into retirement in 1977.

The wienie wagon returned in 1988, following positive reactions to an exhibition of past models that celebrated the vehicle’s 50th birthday. The new version came equipped with microwaves, cell phones, and refrigerators.

The Wienermobile frame length expanded to 27 feet in 1995, and in 2000 came the addition of GPS navigational systems, additional horsepower, and anti-lock brakes.

Cutting the mustard became a focus in 2004 as the traveling frank took on a fiberglass shell and a 300 horsepower Vortec V8 engine.

There are now six Wienermobiles touring the country, plus one compact version that rides on a Mini Cooper S.

Each vehicle gets a two-person crew that travels to events armed with a litany of hot-dog wordplay to answer questions about their rides.

Can you sleep in a Wienermobile?

“It’s not a Weeniebego,” said hotdogger Amanda Maurer.

How fast can the Wienermobile go?

“It hauls buns,” Maurer said.

How many miles per gallon does it get?

“It’s about the same as a family SUV,” Maurer said. “But we try to measure our miles in smiles anyway.”

The Wienermobile interior resembles a small party bus with nearly all upholstery colored with ketchup reds and mustard yellows – except the ceiling, which resembles a mostly-sunny sky.

Hotdoggers agree to alternate between driving and riding “shotbun,” and since safety comes first in the Wienermobile, everyone has to buckle their “meatbelts.”

Each crew member takes on a unique nickname. Amanda Maurer is “Hamanda Cheese Maurer” when she’s on the job, while partner April Lopez is “Link Sausage Lopez.”

Landing a hotdogger job is a competitive process, as several hundred college graduates apply for roughly 15 positions each year.

Successful candidates learn about public relations, event planning, and how to maneuver their mobile franks before hitting the road for a year to cover an average of 500 miles per week.

“You guys may have the coolest job in the world,” said Bellevue resident Andrea Fowler.

Fowler claims she made herself late for a meeting at work just to visit the Wienermobile.

The Oscar Mayer hotdoggers are documenting their cross-country adventures at www.hotdoggerblog.com.

Joshua Adam Hicks can be reached at jhicks@bellevuereporter.com or 425-453-4290.