Joey Chestnut returns to Nathan's Hot Dog Contest after 2024 ban

Joey Chestnut, the reigning champion and record holder of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, has announced his return to the 2025 competition after being banned in 2024 due to a sponsorship conflict with Impossible Foods, a plant-based hot dog brand. Chestnut clarified that while he has partnerships in the plant-based sector, Nathan's remains the only hot dog company he has ever worked with and that he and the contest organizers have resolved their differences. Chestnut, who has won the contest 16 times and holds the record of 76 hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes, expressed excitement to compete again in Coney Island on July 4th, emphasizing the event's significance as a cherished American tradition. In his absence last year, Patrick Bertoletti won the contest by eating 58 hot dogs. Chestnut's return is highly anticipated, with Major League Eating's George Shea calling it potentially the best contest in sports history. The event continues to draw significant attention, with Chestnut considered the most popular competitor in its history.