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 champions once again at the Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest at Coney Island.

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

Sudo downed 38.75 dogs to win the women’s Mustard Belt for a 12th time. She also holds the women’s record of 51.

Competitors consume as many hot dogs and buns as possible in 10 minutes, usually dunking the wieners in water first to make them easier to swallow.

The 11 highest totals in the event belong to Chestnut, and his 76 hot dogs eaten in 2021 is the record. Nobody has ever eaten more than 70 hot dogs in the event … except for Chestnut, who has done it — buns included — seven times, including in 2025.

But he doesn’t just devour hot dogs: He holds the Major League Eating record in over 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 most recently added a world record in the discipline of Padrino tamales to his résumé, consuming 96 tamales in 10 minutes.

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

The event, which dates to 1972, is held in front of the original Nathan’s Famous’ restaurant in New York’s Coney Island.

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

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Some information from the Associated Press and ESPN