Joey Chestnut explains deal leading to his return to Nathan’s July 4 contest
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Joey Chestnut explains deal leading to his return to Nathan’s contest
Joey Chestnut was banned from the 2024 contest after he signed an endorsement deal with Impossible Foods. Nathan’s said it viewed the hot dog as direct competition with its all-beef product. Chestnut said he has agreed to endorse only Nathan’s hot dogs as part of a three-year contract with Nathan’s and International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) Inc. The contract was signed earlier this month, according to Chestnut. He declined to disclose the financial terms of the deal.
That is, competing at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, N.Y., where he has won a record 16 championships but was banned last year because of a contractual dispute with Nathan’s.
“It almost doesn’t feel real yet,’’ Chestnut, 41, told USA TODAY Sports. “I was preparing for the worst, but we were able to work it out.’’
Chestnut was banned from the 2024 contest after he signed an endorsement deal with Impossible Foods that called for him to endorse the company’s plant-based hot dogs. Nathan’s said it viewed the hot dog as direct competition with its all-beef product.
With the 2025 contest less than three weeks away, Chestnut said he has agreed to endorse only Nathan’s hot dogs as part of a three-year contract with Nathan’s and International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) Inc., which runs the annual competition. The contract was signed earlier this month, according to Chestnut.
He declined to disclose the financial terms of the deal and said he still is working with Impossible Foods.
George Shea, the founder of IFOCE and announcer for the Nathan’s contest, confirmed Chestnut is clear to compete.
“We’re very excited to have Joey back and we believe this is going to be the best contest ever,’’ Shea told USA TODAY Sports.
With Chestnut absent last year, Patrick Bertoletti won the men’s competition by eating 58 hot dogs and buns during the 10-minute contest. That was 18 shy of Chestnut’s record of 76.
Chestnut, who had won 16 of the past 17 men’s competitions until last year, said he began training in May for the upcoming contest.
“It’d be great to make a new record,’’ he said. “If I can get close to 80, that’d be amazing.’’
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Joey Chestnut says he will participate in the 2025 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest after 2024 ban
Joey Chestnut announced he will take part in the 2025 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. He was banned from the event in 2024 due to a partnership with Impossible Foods. Chestnut said he was “able to find common ground” with Nathan’s. He won the event every year from 2016 to 2023, eating a record 76 hot dogs in 2021. The last time Chestnut consumed fewer than 58 hot dogs at the event was in 2010.
Chestnut made the announcement on Instagram, saying he was “thrilled” to be back at the event.
Chestnut is the biggest and most dominant name in the hot-dog eating game. He won the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest every year from 2016 to 2023.
He was all set to dominate the event again in 2024, but a partnership with Impossible Foods resulted in Chestnut being banned from the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. Nathan’s does not allow competitors to endorse rival brands, which resulted in Chestnut’s ban.
While it appears Chestnut’s partnerships could have threatened his participation in the event in 2025, Chestnut said he was “able to find common ground” with Nathan’s. He explained that while he’s paired with plant-based companies in the past, “those relationships were never a conflict with my love for hot dogs.”
With Chestnut out of the picture in 2024, Patrick Bertoletti won the event after eating 58 hot dogs. The last time Chestnut consumed fewer than 58 hot dogs at the Nathan’s event came all the way back in 2010, when he won the event with 54.
The Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest takes place on July 4 every year. The event started in 1972, per Nathan’s website. Jason Schechter won the first official competition on the men’s side, eating 14 hot dogs. That figure has ballooned in recent years, with Chestnut eating a record 76 hot dogs at the event in 2021.
While Chestnut did not take part in the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2024, he remained active in the food game. Chestnut participated in a head-to-head hot-dog eating contest with former Nathan’s champion Takeru Kobayashi in 2024. Chestnut won the contest — which aired on Netflix — after eating 83 hot dogs.