Nathan’s Famous Hot dog eating champs Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo repeat in Fourth of July contest

Coney Island, Brooklyn – Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo are the champions once again in Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island.

Chestnut captured the men’s title for the 18th time, defeating 66 hot dogs.

Joey Chestnut and other competitive eaters consume hot dogs during Nathan’s Famous 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest 2026 in Coney Island. (AP Photo/Anna Connors)

(AP Photo/Anna Connors)

Sudo shot down 38.75 dogs to win the women’s mustard belt for the 12th time. She also holds the women’s record of 51.

Miki Sudo Nathan's famous hot dog

Miki Sudo consumes hot dogs during Nathan’s Famous 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island, New York, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Anna Connors)

(AP Photo/Anna Connors)

Competitors consume as many hot dogs and buns as they can within 10 minutes, usually submerging the hot dogs in water first to make them easier to swallow.

The top 11 total at the event belongs to Chestnut, and the 76 hot dogs eaten in 2021 is a record. No one has ever eaten more than 70 hot dogs at the event… except Chestnut, who has done so — including buns — seven times, including 2025.

But he doesn’t just devour hot dogs: he holds the eating record in more than 50 different categories, including chicken wings (182 in 30 minutes), hard-boiled eggs (141 in eight minutes), grilled cheese sandwiches (47 in 10 minutes) and Twinkies (121 in six minutes). He recently added a world record for padrino tamales to his resume, eating 96 tamales in 10 minutes.

Chestnut has won the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating 18 competition over the past 20 years and was on a streak of eight straight championships before missing out on the 2024 competition.

The event, which dates back to 1972, takes place in front of the original Nathan’s Famous restaurant on Coney Island, New York.

Nathan’s Famous, the contest’s sponsor, was sold in January to packaged meat giant Smithfield Foods.


Some information from the Associated Press and ESPN

Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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