We’ve written about a few ridiculous tailgating features in our time, like the Toyota Party Button and the hidden picnic table in the Honda CR-V. But none are quite as silly as the time Jeep decided to add a gas-station style hotdog maker to the Gladiator.
Back during SEMA 2020, Jeep unveiled the “Gladiator Top Dog” concept. It had a number of handy upgrades that owners might find genuinely useful. That includes a flatbed instead of the standard cargo box, tool drawers built into the passenger side, interior shelving, and a dual bike rack installed above the bed.
The concept vehicle also had a few off-road features designed to help it tackle all terrains. A JPP two-inch lift kit with FOX shocks was installed as standard, it sported 37-inch BFGoodrich KM3 mud-terrain tires, and winches mounted to the front and back with the former having a very decent 8,000-pound capacity.
While all of this was very sensible and wouldn’t look out of place on a high-end off-roading build, the Jeep Gladiator Top Dog edition did have a particularly quirky feature. One that may have given the 4X4 truck its name.
Attached to the side was an “On-Trail Refueling Station.” If you just look at those words on paper, you may believe it’s an auxiliary fuel tank with the ability to easily funnel its contents into the Jeep’s main tank or fill up another vehicle. I mean, engines tend to use a lot of fuel while off-roading, and something the size of a Gladiator can drop under 6 MPG on a particularly difficult trail. But it’s not that. It’s all about refueling you, the driver.
They put a hot dog maker in a Jeep
The top-dog comes with a built-in hot dog maker. And this isn’t an elaborate contraption that cooks one hot dog at a time using heat from the exhaust fumes, or some sad little hotplate. No, it’s a roller grill. Like the ones you tend to find in gas stations.
Beyond that, Jeep also installed a mini fridge in the same compartment. So you can keep your hot dogs chilled and fresh, even when you’re driving through somewhere as intensely hot as Death Valley or MOAB. The fridge is also ideal for storing condiments, though popping your buns in there marks you out as some kind of sociopath.
It’s listed as a bit of a high-end feature, and it definitely fits the “top-dog” concept. Gas station hot dogs are also the best variety of meat cylinders on the market. Yes, you are risking botulism to an extent, and occasionally they’ve been on the grill so long you’re essentially chomping down on a mustard-coated Slim Jim.
But if you’re on a long journey, there’s nothing better than loading one of those overcooked tubes full of lips, ears, and anuses with half of the complimentary condiment shelf and feeling that refreshing snap when you take your first bite.
It’s just a shame it’s a concept and not something Jeep routinely adds as an optional extra. It would definitely make our list of essential tailgating features if it did actually exist.
