Hot Dog, it's a contest!

Americans eat around 150 million hot dogs on Independence Day.

Legend has it that the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating contest started in 1916, the year of its inception, with a competition between four immigrants to see who was the most patriotic. They determined the winner by seeing who could eat the most hot dogs in a given time. 

An odd way of showing patriotism, but it caught on, and in 1972, the first officially recorded Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest was held at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. 

Contestants compete to see who can eat the most hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. 

• First prize is $10,00 for both men's and women's divisions.

• Second $5,000

• Third $2,500.

Over 40,000 fans converge on Coney Island each year, and it is broadcast on ESPN to 2 million viewers.

In 2021, the World Champion Joey Chestnut set the record for hot dog-eating after downing 76 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. That's equivalent to 17 pounds and over 12,000 calories. For this feat he earned a Guinness World record!

He is the 16-time winner from 2007-2014 and 2016-2023.

He holds the unofficial record of 84 Hot Dogs and Buns in 10 minutes at a competition in Las Vegas in 2024. Chestnut - 87 vs. Kobayashi - 67

Chestnut also holds 55 world records across 55 disciplines and is ranked first in the world by Major League Eating.

In 2024, Joey was not allowed to compete because of his ties to the plant-based meat alternative brand, Impossible Foods. But he will return to Coney Island for the 2025 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest this Fourth of July.

In 2024, the Coney Island record was 58 by Patrick Bertoletti. 

I think Patrick’s going to have a hard time trying to defend his title now that Joey is back. 

Joey Chestnut is considered to be the greatest competitive eater in history.

In 2024, 10-time women's winner, Miki Sudo, set the women's record by eating 51 Hot Dogs and buns in 10 minutes. 

That's some fast eating!

Winners of the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest have eaten a total of 1,509 franks since 1972. That’s about 330 pounds!

If you laid all the hot dogs that past champs have eaten end to end, they would stretch around a baseball diamond 2.175 times!

MORE INTERESTING FACTS:

Most competitive eaters are very fit despite eating mega-calories in a season. 

They exercise vigorously to build muscle and increase their metabolism. 

Most usually eat healthy, low-calorie diets after competitions because they can't tell when they are full, since their stomachs are so stretched out. 

Some competitors will practice stretching out their stomachs by drinking gallons of milk or water very quickly, or by inhaling lots of filling, fibrous foods like watermelon and oatmeal in just minutes.

During the contest, some competitive eaters will jump up and down and wiggle their bodies, trying to encourage the food to slide easily down the esophagus and settle compactly in their stomachs.

The International Federation of Competitive Eating, Inc. (IFOCE) supervises and regulates eating contests around the world, acting as a central resource for the sport. Yes, it is a legitimate sport. 

What an interesting life being a competitive eater. 

Enjoy your Hot Dogs and the sunshine.

Hot Dog Eating Contest