Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest record: Top 10 most hot dogs ever eaten in history

Every Fourth of July, men and women gather in New York to see how can consume the most hot dogs in 10 minutes. Here are the record holders for the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. 

On July 4, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET, all of the United States will watch with bated breath as men and women from around the country gather to partake in one of our great American sports: eating hotdogs.

The Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has, both miraculously and completely unsurprisingly, carved out a niche in our culture. Every year, people tune in to watch men and women alike stuff as many hot dogs (and buns) as possible into their rigorously trained stomaches.

Here’s a rundown of the record-holders for most hotdogs ever eaten within a 10-minute timeframe at Nathan’s.

Record for most hot dogs ever eaten at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

1. Joey Chestnut — 76 (2021)
2. Joey Chestnut — 75 (2020)
3. Joey Chestnut — 74 (2018)
4. Joey Chestnut — 73.5 (2016)
5. Joey Chestnut — 72 (2017)
6. Joey Chestnut — 71 (2019)
7. Joey Chestnut — 70 (2016)
8. Joey Chestnut — 69 (2013)
9. Joey Chestnut — 68 (2012)
10. Joey Chestnut — 68 (2009)

So much is said about Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, Tom Brady. Is LeBron James the greatest of all time? Muhammad Ali. Serena Williams. Michael Phelps. Simone Biles. These are the GOATs, the untouchable pantheon of great athletes.

Where is Joey Chestnut’s name? The man has more rings than Bill Russell. Have we ever seen such sustained dominance in a sport?

The answer is no. No, we have not.

Of course, Joey Chestnut is not the only annual participant at Nathan’s — and there were many great hot dog consumers in the years before his arrival on the scene.

Here are the record-holders not named Joey Chestnut.

Record holders not named Joey Chestnut: Most hot dogs ever eaten at Nathan’s

1. Takeru Kobayashi — 64.5 (2009)
2. Carmen Cincotti — 64 (2018)
3. Takeru Kobayashi — 63 (2007)
4. Matt Stonie — 62 (2015)
5. Takeru Kobayashi — 59 (2008)

Takeru Kobayashi won the first five annual Nathan’s contests, which began in 2002. Matt Stonie is the only person to topple Joey Chestnut head-to-head since 2007. Those two, and Chestnut, are the only winners in contest history. Carmen Cincotti is destined to be overlooked for a historically strong second-place effort in 2018.