Has Joey Chestnut ever lost Nathan’s Hot Dog contest?

Considering that Joey Chestnut pretty much just breaks his own world record in the Nathan’s Hot Dog Contest every year, it’s hard to remember when he lost.

If you don’t remember a time when Joey Chestnut lost the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, that’s not a mistake. Since his first victory in 2007 in the contest, he’s won it 14 times coming into the 2022 contest on Coney Island. For those that need me to do the math, that means he’s won all but one contest in the last 15 years.

However, with how dominant he’s been and with all of the time’s that he’s set a world record in the contest, it stands to reason that there is some curiosity about the one year he didn’t.

Namely, when was the last time he lost and who was the man who took down Joey Chestnut?

When was the last time Joey Chestnut lost the Nathan’s Hot Dog contest?

There is only one blemish on Joey Chestnut’s record since 2007 at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest as he’s won the event every year over that span except for one. The lone loss came in 2015 when his then-eight-year winning streak was snapped as he only ate 60 hot dogs and buns and the winner at 62.

Naturally, like any great athlete and champion, Chestnut responded the next year with a world record 70 hot dogs eaten to reclaim his mustard belt in 2016.

Prior to his first victory and dominant run that began in 2007, Chestnut lost previously in 2005 and 2006 to Takeru Kobayashi, who was the supreme competitive eating force prior to Chestnut’s reign.

Who was the last person to beat Joey Chestnut at the Nathan’s Hot Dog contest?

Going back to 2015, though, the last person to beat Chestnut at the Nathan’s Hot Dog contest was Matt Stonie. The slight-framed American downed the 62 hot dogs that beat Chestnut that year and has been a force in Major League Eating otherwise.

Sadly, though, he’s never been able to replicate his victory and keep up with the absurd pace that the man he beat in 2015 has been on in the hot dog eating contest since.