Joey Chestnut is Michael Jordan, Barry Bonds, Wayne Gretzky, Tom Brady or whatever you GOAT you want to compare him to when it comes to the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest and competitive eating. The July 4 contest on Coney Island missed him dearly in 2024 when he wasn't allowed to compete due to a sponsorship disagreement, but he's set to make his return in 2025 and continue his Independence Day tradition of dominating the competition.
Nicknamed "Jaws", Chestnut first began his rise to fame with his famous showdowns in the mid-2000s with Takeru Kobayashi. He won his first Mustard Belt in the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2007 and hasn't looked back since. Nowadays, the 41-year-old is still atop the sport in Major League Eating and doesn't appear to be stopping anytime soon.
But just how good is Joey Chestnut? And how much is he worth with nearly two decades in the limelight? Let's take a look at his world records, his hot dog-eating prowess and what fans want to know about the competitive eating superstar.
How many times has Joey Chestnut won the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest?
Joey Chestnut has won the July 4th Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest a record and unbelievable 16 times in his competitive eating career. In fact, he's won all but two contests that have been held on the U.S. holiday since 2007, when he earned his first victory. His only loss, however, came in 2015, when Matt Stonie pulled off one of the biggest upsets we've ever seen on an MLE stage. The other non-win wasn't even a loss, as Chestnut didn't compete in the 2024 contest, which was won by Patrick Bertoletti.
How many hot dogs can Joey Chestnut eat?
Joey Chestnut set the world record for most hot doges eaten with 76 in the 2021 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. However, like with any sport, the ceiling isn't always what we're going to get in any given performance. Now at 41 years old, we've seen the greatest competitive eater in history slow down at least slightly when it comes to the hot dog contest, winning with 63 hot dogs eaten in 2022 and then 62 hot dogs eaten in 2023. However, it's worth noting that both of those marks, even if they aren't in the 70s, like he did for six straight years in the contest from 2016-21, they still would've bested Bertoletti's 58 to win in 2024.
An incomplete list of Joey Chestnut's world records in competitive eating
Hot dogs aren't the only forte for Joey Chestnut as he's considered the true GOAT of the sport. All told, he holds 55 world records in competitive eating. Here's a look at some of the wildest and most impressive.
- Hot Dogs in 10 Minutes: 76
- Chicken Wings in 30 Minutes: 182
- Taco Bell Tacos in 10 Minutes: 53
- Cherry Pie in 8 Minutes: 17.5 pounds
- Pulled Pork Sandwiches in 10 Minutes: 45
- Krystal Hamburgers in 8 Minutes: 103
- Funnel Cake in 10 Minutes: 5.9 pounds
- Gyoza in 10 Minutes: 384
- Ice Cream Sandwiches in 6 Minutes: 25.5
- Hostess Donettes in 6 Minutes: 257
- Shrimp Cocktails in 8 Minutes: 21 pounds
- Poutine in 10 Minutes: 28 pounds
- 2-Foot Pizza Slices in 10 Minutes: 6.5
Again, that's not all of the 55, but it goes to show just how ridiculous Chestnut is when it comes to his craft. It really doesn't matter the food, if it's sweet, if it's hearty, if it's savory, if it's Canadian, or whatever, he's probably dominated and won a contest where he ate the most. And there's also a good chance that he won a world record in it at some point as well.
Joey Chestnut's estimated net worth with Impossible Foods deal, winnings
Joey Chestnut has an estimated net worth of more than $4 million and makes about $500,000 annually, at least according to what he told USA Today a few years ago in 2022. Obviously, his full-time job is that of a competitive eater, but his net worth comes from much more than that. After all, the top prize at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, arguably the biggest event in the sport, is only $10,000.
Because of his popularity and celebrity status, Chestnut has accrued numerous sponsorship deals. The most notable is his partnership with Impossible Foods, an alternative meat brand. His partnership with that company ultimately led to him missing the 2024 hot dog contest, but fences were mended in 2025 and an agreement reached. Chestnut also has sponsorship deals with Hostess and several beer brands as well, among many others.