Tag Archives: Hot Dogs

Chestnut’s Ban Lifted, Will Return to Hot Dog Contest this Year

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The Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest is a uniquely American spectacle—a competitive eating event held every Fourth of July at the original Nathan’s Famous restaurant on Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. Over the decades, it has grown from a local novelty into a nationally televised cultural event. Its history is a curious blend of patriotism, marketing savvy, and extreme physical endurance.

According to Nathan’s lore, the first contest was held in 1916 when four immigrants competed to prove who was the most patriotic by eating the most hot dogs. While this origin story has since been debunked as a clever piece of marketing invented in the 1970s, it nonetheless set the tone for the contest’s mythology.

The modern era of the contest began in earnest in the early 2000s, when ESPN started broadcasting it live. The rise of competitive eating as entertainment coincided with the reign of Takeru Kobayashi, a Japanese competitor who revolutionized the sport with his technique and stamina. Kobayashi’s arrival in 2001, and his subsequent record-breaking performances, put Nathan’s on the map internationally.

The next chapter in the contest’s evolution was written by Joey Chestnut, a California native who dethroned Kobayashi in 2007 and ushered in a new era of dominance. Chestnut’s feats were nothing short of extraordinary. From 2007 to 2023, he won the contest 16 times, setting multiple world records in the process—including his astonishing 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes in 2021.

Chestnut became synonymous with the event. His relentless training, competitive fire, and ability to perform under pressure earned him the nickname “Jaws” and made him a household name. His duels with other top eaters added drama, but Chestnut often proved untouchable. He became the face of Nathan’s contest and competitive eating itself.

In 2024, however, Joey Chestnut’s long association with the Nathan’s contest came to a sudden and unexpected end. Major League Eating (MLE), the organization that sanctions the event, announced that Chestnut would not be competing due to a sponsorship conflict. Chestnut had signed a promotional deal with Impossible Foods, a company known for its plant-based meat alternatives, including vegan hot dogs.

Nathan’s Famous and MLE viewed this sponsorship as a direct conflict of interest. Nathan’s, which promotes its traditional all-beef hot dogs, reportedly asked Chestnut to drop the Impossible Foods partnership if he wanted to compete. Chestnut declined, stating that he should be able to work with other brands and that he was not under a formal contract that restricted such agreements. This impasse led to his exclusion from the 2024 event.

The public reaction was swift and largely supportive of Chestnut. Many fans and commentators criticized Nathan’s and MLE for what they saw as a shortsighted business decision that prioritized brand protection over honoring the contest’s most iconic figure. Some likened it to banning Michael Jordan from the NBA Finals or Tom Brady from the Super Bowl.

Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has always been about more than just food—it’s about American tradition, spectacle, and the quirky pursuit of glory. Joey Chestnut embodied that spirit for nearly two decades. For many, Chestnut was a part of their Fourth of July celebrations which is something MLE and Nathan’s probably came to realize when they decided to lift his ban.

In mid‑June, Chestnut confirmed on social media (X) and through various outlets like ESPN, ABC News, and CBS Sports that he will compete in the 2025 contest after missing the 2024 event due to the sponsorship dispute. Chestnut explained that he partners with a variety of companies, including some that are plant‑based, but none of them conflict with his love for hot dogs, and that Nathan’s is the only hot dog brand he’s ever endorsed.

MLE’s president voiced enthusiasm, stating they’re “extremely excited to welcome Joey back…for what will surely be the greatest Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest of all time.”

Chestnut will be pursuing a record 17th title. Fox Sports notes he is the heavy favorite to exceed 71.5 hot dogs in the 10‑minute contest, reflecting strong betting odds.

Super Bowl LIX: That’s a Lot of Wings!

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With the Big Game upon us FreeSportsMagazine.com was wondering just how much football food is consumed on super Sunday. The results? We weren’t shocked (though we probably should have been). Check out how much food Americans consume during the Super Bowl and try not to get a stomach ache this year:

For starters, it’s estimated that around 11 million pounds of potato chips are consumed in the U.S. on Super Bowl Sunday.

About 8 million pounds of guacamole are consumed which goes hand-in-hand with all those chips the fans are munching on. Stating the obvious here – Super Bowl weekend is one of the biggest times of the year for avocado sales.

Another staple of the big game, Americans consume an estimated 1.45 billion chicken wings! That’s enough to circle the Earth three times if you lined them up end to end. Wings are definitely a game day MVP alongside chips and guac! Do you like them hot?

To quench their thirst, Americans drink an estimated 325 million gallons of beer while watching the Super Bowl. That’s enough to fill about 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Beer is the go-to beverage for many fans, perfectly pairing with all those wings, chips, and guac.

When looking at “main courses”, it’s estimated that around 14 million hamburgers and 10 million hot dogs are consumed in the U.S. during the Super Bowl. While burgers and hot dogs may not be quite as popular as wings and chips, they’re often the only option for hosts firing up the grill! As a side note, t’s estimated that several million pounds of condiments—including ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise—are used during the big game.

Finally, pizza is often the forgotten food of Super Bowl parties. Americans consume about 12.5 million pizzas during the big game. It’s one of the top game-day foods, with chains like Domino’s and Pizza Hut reporting it as their busiest day of the year.

The History of Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

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The Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest has become a legendary annual event held on July 4th at Coney Island, New York. The origins of this contest can be traced back to a friendly competition among immigrants in the early 20th century.

The contest’s roots can be found in the tradition of settling disputes among working-class men on Coney Island. According to popular legend, in 1916, a group of four immigrants—Irish immigrant James Mullen, Polish immigrant Max Bruck, German immigrant Chris Nicoll, and an unidentified man—decided to hold a hot dog eating contest to settle an argument about who was the most patriotic among them. As the story goes, they gathered in front of Nathan’s Famous, a popular hot dog stand owned by Nathan Handwerker, and began consuming as many hot dogs as possible in a set amount of time.

Nathan Handwerker saw the potential in this spectacle and embraced it as a promotional opportunity for his business. The contest gained attention and became an annual event at Nathan’s Famous. Over the years, it grew in popularity and attracted participants from various backgrounds.

In 1972, the contest took a hiatus but was revived in 1974 by PR man Max Rosey, who wanted to use the event to generate publicity for Nathan’s Famous. The contest has been held every year since then and has become a cherished tradition, drawing thousands of spectators to witness competitive eaters from around the world battle it out to consume the most hot dogs in a given time period.

Today, the Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest is organized by Major League Eating (MLE), a professional competitive eating organization, and has gained international recognition as one of the most prestigious events in the competitive eating circuit. It is broadcast live on television every 4th of July and has catapulted many participants to fame in the world of competitive eating.

The origins of Major League Eating can be traced back to the early 1990s and the efforts of brothers George and Richard Shea. In 1997, George and Richard Shea, who were public relations professionals, were hired by the owners of Nathan’s Famous to rebrand and promote the Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest. Recognizing the potential for competitive eating as a spectator sport, the Shea brothers sought to elevate it to a professional level and establish a governing body to oversee the events.

Later that same year, the brothers founded the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) as the governing body for competitive eating. The IFOCE was responsible for establishing rules, rankings, and standards for various eating contests. They aimed to transform competitive eating into a legitimate sport and attract sponsors, media coverage, and public interest.

Under the IFOCE, the Shea brothers worked to expand the competitive eating circuit, organize events, and attract top eaters. They introduced a structured ranking system and established guidelines for competitions to ensure fairness and safety. Over time, the IFOCE gained recognition as the leading authority in the world of competitive eating.

In 2001, the IFOCE was rebranded as Major League Eating (MLE) to reflect its professional approach and enhance its marketability. MLE continued to expand its reach and popularity by organizing and sanctioning eating contests across the United States and internationally. The Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest remained one of MLE’s flagship events, drawing significant media attention and shaping the perception of competitive eating as a competitive sport.

Major League Eating continues to oversee and promote competitive eating events, maintain rankings and records, and collaborate with sponsors, broadcasters, and participants to elevate the sport’s profile. It has played a significant role in popularizing and professionalizing competitive eating, turning it into a recognized and respected form of competition.

The first champion of the Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest under the organization of Major League Eating (MLE) was Takeru Kobayashi. Kobayashi, a competitive eater from Japan, made his debut in the contest in 2001 and quickly revolutionized the sport with his unique eating technique and extraordinary capacity.

In his first year, Kobayashi shattered the existing world record by consuming 50 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes, doubling the previous record. His incredible performance not only earned him the title but also captured the attention of the media and spectators, propelling competitive eating into the mainstream.

Kobayashi went on to dominate the Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest for the next six years, winning the championship from 2001 to 2006. His unorthodox “Solomon Method,” which involved separating the hot dog from the bun and consuming them separately, allowed him to eat at an astonishing pace and set multiple records.

However, in 2007, Kobayashi’s reign as the champion came to an end when he was defeated by Joey Chestnut, an American competitive eater. Chestnut consumed 66 hot dogs and buns, surpassing Kobayashi’s previous record of 63. This marked the beginning of Chestnut’s own dominant era in the contest, as he went on to win the Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest for several consecutive years.

It’s worth noting that in recent years, Kobayashi has not competed in the Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest due to contractual disputes with Major League Eating. Nonetheless, his contributions to the sport and his initial victories played a crucial role in establishing the contest’s popularity and setting the stage for future champions.

Joey Chestnut is the reigning champion of the Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest under Major League Eating (MLE). Chestnut has been a dominant force in the competitive eating world and has held the title for numerous consecutive years. His record-breaking streak began in 2007 when he defeated Kobayashi (ending his six-year reign as champion). Since then, Chestnut has continued to dominate the competition, consistently consuming a large number of hot dogs and securing the championship year after year. Think you beat him? You can start practicing this Independence Day!

Find ways to watch this year’s contest by clicking here.