Honestly, if you told someone twenty years ago that the most high-stakes drama on the Fourth of July would involve soggy bread and a guy nicknamed "Jaws," they’d have laughed in your face. But here we are. Every year, thousands of people crowd the corner of Surf and Stillwell in Coney Island to watch humans do things to their digestive tracts that seem to defy several laws of physics.
The Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Contest isn’t just a weird side-show anymore. It’s a full-blown sports phenomenon. It has its own GOAT, its own controversial bans, and a massive Netflix special that basically broke the internet in late 2024. If you think this is just about being hungry, you’re missing the point. It’s about technical precision, stomach elasticity, and a weirdly intense rivalry that almost tore the competitive eating world apart.
The Joey Chestnut Ban and the 2024 Chaos
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room—or rather, the vegan hot dog in the room. In 2024, the unthinkable happened. Joey Chestnut, the 16-time champion and undisputed face of the sport, was banned from the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Contest.
Why? Because he signed a deal with Impossible Foods.
Nathan's, understandably, wasn't thrilled about their star athlete promoting a plant-based competitor. Major League Eating (MLE) called it a "sponsorship issue." Fans called it a tragedy. Without Chestnut on the stage, the 2024 men's competition felt... different. It was wide open for the first time in nearly two decades.
Patrick Bertoletti stepped into the vacuum. He’s a veteran in the scene, known for his Mohawk and his ability to crush everything from jalapenos to Rocky Mountain oysters. He took the 2024 Mustard Belt by inhaling 58 hot dogs and buns (HDB). It was a solid performance, but the shadow of Chestnut loomed large. While Bertoletti was celebrating in Brooklyn, Chestnut was busy setting an unofficial world record elsewhere, proving he hadn't lost his edge just because he changed his diet.
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The Return of the King in 2025
Thankfully, the beef—both literal and figurative—was settled by the following year. Joey Chestnut returned to the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Contest on July 4, 2025. It was the homecoming everyone wanted. He didn't just win; he dominated.
Chestnut put down 70.5 hot dogs and buns in ten minutes. Bertoletti, the defending champ, came in a distant second with 46.5. It wasn't even close. Seeing Chestnut back on that stage in Coney Island felt like the natural order of things had been restored. He didn't quite hit his 2021 world record of 76, but 70.5 is still a number that makes your own stomach hurt just thinking about it.
Miki Sudo: The Most Consistent Winner You’ve Never Heard Of
While everyone focuses on the men’s side, Miki Sudo has been quietly building a legacy that might actually be more impressive than Chestnut’s. In 2024, while the world was arguing about Joey’s vegan franks, Sudo was busy setting a new women’s world record.
She ate 51 hot dogs and buns.
Fifty-one. In ten minutes.
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By 2025, Sudo captured her 11th title. She’s become the absolute bedrock of the women's division. Her technique is surgical. She uses what’s called the "Solomon Method"—breaking the dogs in half, stuffing them in, and then dipping the buns in water to make them slide down faster. It sounds gross because it is, but it’s also incredibly efficient.
How These People Actually Do It
You might think these eaters just show up hungry. That’s a one-way ticket to a "reversal of fortune"—the polite term MLE uses for throwing up. Professional eaters train like marathon runners, just with their stomachs instead of their legs.
- Stomach Stretching: They drink massive amounts of water or eat low-calorie, high-volume foods like cabbage to expand the stomach wall.
- Jaw Strength: Chewing 70 pieces of meat in ten minutes is an athletic feat for the masseter muscles.
- The Dip: Water is the secret. Dry buns are the enemy. They act like a sponge, soaking up moisture in your mouth and making it impossible to swallow. Eaters dip the buns to turn them into a slurry.
- The "Coney Island Shake": You'll see them jumping and wiggling. This isn't just nerves; it's using gravity to settle the food so there’s room for more at the top.
The Netflix Factor: Chestnut vs. Kobayashi
If the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Contest is the Super Bowl of eating, then the "Unfinished Beef" special on Netflix in September 2024 was the heavyweight title fight of the century.
Takeru Kobayashi, the man who originally put the sport on the map in the early 2000s, came out of retirement for one last showdown against Chestnut. This wasn't at Coney Island, and the rules were stricter—no dunking allowed.
Chestnut won, obviously. He set a mind-blowing world record of 83 hot dogs and buns under those "no-dunk" rules. It was a staggering reminder that while the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Contest is the tradition, the athletes themselves are evolving beyond the original constraints of the Brooklyn boardwalk.
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Why We Still Care About a 100-Year-Old Contest
There's something inherently American about the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Contest. It started in 1916 (allegedly to settle an argument between four immigrants about who was the most patriotic) and has survived world wars, pandemics, and the rise of the wellness industry.
It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s slightly nauseating. But it’s also a display of pure, unadulterated human willpower. We love to see where the limit is. How much can a human actually hold? Apparently, the answer is 76 Nathan’s franks, or 83 if you're not allowed to wet the bread.
What You Should Know If You Go
If you’re planning to head to Coney Island for the next one, here’s the reality:
- Get there early. Like, 8:00 AM early. The crowds are massive.
- Stay hydrated. It’s July in New York. You’re standing on asphalt. You aren't the one getting paid to eat, so don't pass out.
- Watch the "reversals." If a judge holds up a yellow card, someone is being "messy." If it’s a red card, they’re out. Keep your eyes on the plates, not just the faces.
The Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Contest isn't going anywhere. Even with the drama, the bans, and the streaming giants trying to get a piece of the action, the heart of the sport remains at Surf and Stillwell. It’s a place where a "Mustard Belt" is the most prestigious trophy in the world, and for ten minutes every July, we all agree to pretend that eating 70 hot dogs is the most important thing on the planet.
To keep up with the latest rankings and qualifier dates, your best bet is to follow the official Major League Eating (MLE) updates. They control the circuit, and as we saw with the 2024 ban, they aren't afraid to flex their muscles to protect the brand. If you want to see the next generation of eaters, look for the regional qualifiers—that's where the next Joey Chestnut is currently stretching their stomach with gallons of water.