JOEY CHESTNUT ATE 66 HOT DOGS FOR HIS 18TH NATHAN’S WIN

Joey Chestnut won the Nathan’s hot dog contest for the 18th time, but he said the heat slowed him down.

Chestnut ate 66 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes on July 4, 2026, at the flagship Nathan’s restaurant in Coney Island, New York, the Associated Press reported. It was his 18th title, and it came on a sweltering holiday.

ABC News reported that Chestnut was favored to win. “Feeling good, I’m hungry, and it’s a beautiful day. This is going to be a great Fourth of July,” he told Good Morning America before the contest.

The win came after Chestnut sat out the 2024 contest, ABC7 reported.

How the contest played out

The rules are simple: eat as many hot dogs and buns as possible in 10 minutes. Competitors commonly dunk the hot dogs in water to make them easier to swallow.

Chestnut’s 66 fell short of his men’s world record of 76, set in 2021.

Patrick Bertoletti placed second, and James Webb finished third, CBS Sports reported.

Miki Sudo won the women’s division for the 12th time, ESPN reported.

The contest coincided with the United States’ 250th birthday.

What Chestnut said afterward

“I knew I was going to be able to get the win,” Chestnut said after the contest. He also realized early that the record was out of reach, CBS Sports reported.

Asked whether the heat wave slowed him down, Chestnut kept it short, ABC7 reported: “Yeah it did.” He said he did not want to make excuses.

He talked about his performance with the same mix of confidence and honesty. “There’s room for improvement,” he said, and then added, “I’ve got so much room left.”

Chestnut also made headlines for a pancake-eating world record.