For the second consecutive year, Joey Chestnut — the face of competitive eating and 16-time Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest champion — may not return to Coney Island’s legendary Fourth of July stage. The reigning titan of hot dog consumption is in limbo once again, as tensions between Chestnut, Major League Eating (MLE), and Nathan’s Famous continue unresolved.
At the heart of the dispute is Chestnut’s partnership with plant-based brand Impossible Foods, a sponsorship that led to his exclusion from the 2024 competition. Chestnut, who holds the world record of 76 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes (set in 2021), believed the partnership would not interfere with his participation. “I really didn’t think my relationship with Impossible would affect anything with Nathan’s,” Chestnut said in an interview with The Blast. “It didn’t go against any of my previous agreements.”
Now, just weeks away from the 2025 contest, Chestnut says he hasn’t received an invitation to return — and his relationship with contest organizers remains uncertain. “If they came back with similar terms we were talking about last year, I would definitely consider it,” he said. “But honestly, I don’t think they want to go down that route. And yeah, it’s a bummer. I love that contest.”
The Nathan’s contest is widely regarded as the Super Bowl of competitive eating, and Chestnut’s dominance has helped elevate the event to national prominence. But in 2024, fans watched Patrick Bertoletti claim the title with 58 hot dogs — a far cry from Chestnut’s iconic totals.
Despite being sidelined, Chestnut’s competitive appetite hasn’t waned. He recently bested longtime rival Takeru Kobayashi in a Netflix-exclusive 10-minute eating duel, winning 83-67. On Memorial Day, he set a new benchmark in another food feat: devouring over 36 24-ounce bags of popcorn in just eight minutes.
As Independence Day nears, Chestnut’s absence would mark a significant void in one of America’s quirkiest traditions. Whether the hot dog king returns to the stage or not, one thing is clear: Joey Chestnut’s competitive fire is far from extinguished — even if his place at Nathan’s remains uncertain.