All articles tagged with #nathans famous
Joey Chestnut won his 18th Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest in Coney Island, downing 66 hot dogs in scorching heat to claim the Mustard Yellow Belt and $10,000, with Patrick Bertoletti finishing second at 51 and Miki Sudo taking the women’s title with 38.75.
Joey Chestnut, the sport’s dominant figure, returns to Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest aiming for his 18th title in 19 attempts at the Fourth of July America 250 celebration, after a 2024 sponsorship ban and a 2025 comeback win of 70.5 dogs. The piece tracks his storied career, including battles with rivals like Takeru Kobayashi and Matt Stonie, a 2022 protest interruption, and a 2026 battery-related probation that briefly threatened his eligibility, while noting his all-time record of 74–76 at various points, currently 76 set in 2021.
Joey Chestnut aims for his 18th Mustard Belt at Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest 2026 in Coney Island after a 2025 comeback, while Miki Sudo captures her 12th women’s title with 38.75 dogs (Lesco 22, Domenica Dee 21.5); the event kicks off July 4 with the women at 10:45 a.m. ET and the men at noon, airing on ESPN2 and the ESPN app, with live updates and odds highlighting Chestnut as the heavy favorite.
Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest returns on July 4, 2026 at Coney Island with defending champions Joey Chestnut (men) and Miki Sudo (women). Women start at 10:45 a.m. ET, men at noon ET; coverage on ESPN2, the ESPN app, and ABC (simulcast from 12:30 p.m. ET), with a 4 p.m. ET replay on ESPN2. The forecast calls for near-90s heat, Chestnut’s 76-dog and Sudo’s 51-dog records still standing, and challengers like Patrick Bertoletti, James Webb, Domenica Dee, and Michelle Lesco looking to challenge. If tied at the end of 10 minutes, a five-dog eat-off decides the winner.
Famed competitive eater Joey Chestnut pleaded guilty to battery and is on probation; the report notes his public appearance at the 2025 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog contest, with no additional sentencing details provided in the excerpt (updated May 21, 2026).
Nathan’s Famous, the iconic New York hot dog brand, was acquired by Smithfield Foods (a WH Group subsidiary), prompting a MAGA-backed backlash over foreign ownership of an American icon.
Smithfield Foods is buying Nathan’s Famous for $450 million in cash, paying $102 per share to take full ownership of the iconic NYC brand (which Nathan’s has licensed to Smithfield since 2014 and is produced by WH Group). The close is expected in the first half of 2026, and the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest will continue in Coney Island under new ownership.
Nathan's Famous, the iconic Coney Island hot-dog hawker, has been sold for $450 million, marking a major exit for its owners and underscoring the enduring appeal of legacy brands.
Nathan’s Famous, the iconic Coney Island hot dog brand, has been sold for $450 million.
Joey Chestnut won his 17th Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest after returning from a dispute with organizers, consuming 70.5 hot dogs, while Miki Sudo secured her 11th women's title.
The legendary origin story of the Nathan's hot dog eating contest, which claimed to have started in 1916, has been revealed as a myth. The story was invented by press agents in the 1970s to hype up the event, and there is no evidence of the contest before that time. The details of how the competition actually began remain unclear, with conflicting accounts from different sources. Despite the debunking of the origin story, the annual hot dog eating contest in Coney Island has become a popular tradition, attracting thousands of spectators and raising money for charity.
Massachusetts native Geoff Esper, the second-ranked eater in the world, will once again compete against world record holder Joey Chestnut in the annual Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest. Esper, who has finished second to Chestnut in previous years, hopes to beat his personal best of 50 hot dogs. Despite not expecting to win, Esper aims to give his best performance. He holds various competitive eating records and follows a strict diet to manage his weight.
Consumer Reports released its ranking of hot dog brands, with Nathan's Famous Skinless Beef Franks coming in at the top of the list for its crisp skin, subtle spice, uniform texture, and juicy flavor. Hebrew National Beef Franks came in second, followed by Oscar Mayer Uncured Original Wieners, 365 Everyday Value Organic Uncured Grass-Fed Beef Hot Dog, and Ball Park Classic Franks. The hot dogs were rated based on how snappy, juicy, flavorful, and smooth the meat was both with and without toppings.