The Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest is an annual American hot dog competitive eating competition and easily the most prominent eating competition in the world. Nathan’s held its first hot dog eating contest on July 4, 1916. It is held each year on Independence Day at Nathan’s Famous Corporation’s original, and best-known restaurant at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island, a neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. The competitors must eat as many hot dogs as they can within a time limit of 10 minutes. The events garner worldwide attention and as many as 50,000 people attend in person at the events.
Interestingly, contestants employ a variety of strategies including soaking the hot dog buns in water, eating the hot dog and buns separately, and jumping up and down while consuming the hot dogs. Manners matter, though – a penalty may be issued for “messy eating!”
The most recent Wieners, sorry – Winners are as follows:
Men’s Winners
1st goes to Joey Chestnut with 71
2nd goes to Darron Breeden with 50
3rd goes to Geoffrey Esper with 47
Women’s Winners
1st goes to Miki Sudo with 31
2nd goes to Michelle Lesco with 26.5
3rd goes to Sarah Reinecke with 23
3rd goes to Juliet Lee with 23
Anyone can apply to enter the competition, but you must have competed in certain qualifying events before you can be considered eligible. A hot dog eating competition wouldn’t be for most people but it sure is great advertising for Nathan’s Hot Dogs!