America's most famous eating competition returns once more this summer, as competitive eaters flock to Coney Island to take part in Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Taking place annually on 4th July, America's national independence day, Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest is broadcast live on ESPN and draws in millions of viewers each year.
With a long history stretching back more than 50 years, the competition has developed into a genuine sporting event of national interest and has propelled some previous winners into the record books.
Here we detail the men and women who are former Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest champions and the records set over the years.
Previous Winners
Two names have dominated Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in recent years: Joey Chestnut in the men's competition, and Miki Sudo in the women's.
Japan's Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi took the event by storm in the early 2000's, winning six titles on the spin and gaining international fame, before Chestnut arrived and asserted his control.
Year | Winner | Hot Dogs |
|---|---|---|
1967 | Walter Paul | 17 |
1972 | Jason Schechter | 14 |
1972 | Melody Andorfer | 12 |
1974 | Roberto Muriel | 10 |
1974 | John Connolly | 9 |
1974 | Walter Paul / Paul Sirop | Unknown |
1975 | Sharlene Smith | 8.5 |
1975 | Lonnie Brown | 8 |
1978 | Manel Hollenback / Kevin Sinclair | 10 |
1979 | Luther Frazier / Jim Mattner | 10 |
1980 | Joe Baldini / Paul Siederman | 9.75+ |
1981 | Thomas DeBerry | 11 |
1982 | Steven Abrams | 11+ |
1983 | Emil Gomez | 10.5 |
1984 | Birgit Felden | 9.5 |
1985 | Oscar Rodriguez | 11.75 |
1986 | Mark Heller | 15.5 |
1986 | Hiroaki Tominaga | 10.5 |
1987 | Don Wolfman | 13.5 |
1988 | Jay Green | 10 |
1989 | Jay Green | 15.5 |
1990 | Mike DeVito / Jay Green | 15 |
1991 | Frankie Dellarosa | 21 |
1992 | Frankie Dellarosa | 19 |
1993 | Mike DeVito | 18 |
1993 | Mike DeVito | 17 |
1994 | Mike DeVito | 20 |
1995 | Ed Krachie | 19.5 |
1996 | Hirofumi Nakajima | 23.25 |
1996 | Ed Krachie | 22 |
1997 | Hirofumi Nakajima | 24.5 |
1998 | Hirofumi Nakajima | 19 |
1999 | Steve Keiner | 21.5 |
2000 | Kazutoyo Arai | 25.125 |
2001 | Takeru Kobayashi | 50 |
2002 | Takeru Kobayashi | 50.5 |
2003 | Takeru Kobayashi | 44.5 |
2004 | Takeru Kobayashi | 53.5 |
2005 | Takeru Kobayashi | 49 |
2006 | Takeru Kobayashi | 53.75 |
2007 | Joey Chestnut | 66 |
2008 | Joey Chestnut | 59 |
2009 | Joey Chestnut | 68 |
2010 | Joey Chestnut | 54 |
2011 | Joey Chestnut | 62 |
2011 (Women's Only) | Sonya Thomas | 40 |
2012 | Joey Chestnut | 68 |
2012 (Women's Only) | Sonya Thomas | 45 |
2013 | Joey Chestnut | 69 |
2013 (Women's Only) | Sonya Thomas | 36.75 |
2014 | Joey Chestnut | 61 |
2014 (Women's Only) | Miki Sudo | 34 |
2015 | Matt Stonie | 62 |
2015 (Women's Only) | Miki Sudo | 38 |
2016 | Joey Chestnut | 70 |
2016 (Women's Only) | Miki Sudo | 38.5 |
2017 | Joey Chestnut | 72 |
2017 (Women's Only) | Miki Sudo | 41 |
2018 | Joey Chestnut | 74 |
2018 (Women's Only) | Miki Sudo | 37 |
2019 | Joey Chestnut | 71 |
2019 (Women's Only) | Miki Sudo | 31 |
2020 | Joey Chestnut | 75 |
2020 (Women's Only) | Miki Sudo | 48.5 |
2021 | Joey Chestnut | 76 |
2021 (Women's Only) | Michelle Lesco | 30.75 |
2022 | Joey Chestnut | 63 |
2022 (Women's Only) | Miki Sudo | 40 |
2023 | Joey Chestnut | 62 |
2023 (Women's Only) | Miki Sudo | 39.5 |
2024 | Patrick Bertoletti | 58 |
2024 (Women's Only) | Miki Sudo | 51 |
2025 | Joey Chestnut | 70.5 |
2025 (Women's Only) | Miki Sudo | 33 |
Most Titles
Chesnut reigns unchallenged at the top of the lists of Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest winners, with an incredible 17 titles to his name.
Sudo similarly dominates the women's records, winning 11 titles between 2014 and 2025.
Titles | Name | Years |
|---|---|---|
17 | Joey Chestnut | 2007–2014, 2016–2023, 2025 |
11 | Miki Sudo | 2014–2020, 2022–2025 |
6 | Takeru Kobayashi | 2001–2006 |
4 | Mike DeVito | 1990, 1993–1994 |
3 | Jay Green | 1988–1990 |
3 | Hirofumi Nakajima | 1996–1998 |
3 | Sonya Thomas | 2011–2013 |
2 | Frankie Dellarosa | 1991–1992 |
2 | Ed Krachie | 1995–1996 |
2 | Walter Paul | 1967, 1974 |
1 | Steven Abrams | 1982 |
1 | Melody Andorfer | 1972 |
1 | Kazutoyo Arai | 2000 |
1 | Joe Baldini | 1980 |
1 | Patrick Bertoletti | 2024 |
1 | Lonnie Brown | 1975 |
1 | John Connolly | 1974 |
1 | Thomas DeBerry | 1981 |
1 | Birgit Felden | 1984 |
1 | Luther Frazier | 1979 |
1 | Emil Gomez | 1983 |
1 | Mark Heller | 1986 |
1 | Manel Hollenback | 1978 |
1 | Steve Keiner | 1999 |
1 | Michelle Lesco | 2021 |
1 | Jim Mattner | 1979 |
1 | Roberto Muriel | 1974 |
1 | Oscar Rodriguez | 1985 |
1 | Jason Schechter | 1972 |
1 | Paul Siederman | 1980 |
1 | Kevin Sinclair | 1978 |
1 | Paul Sirop | 1974 |
1 | Sharlene Smith | 1975 |
1 | Matt Stonie | 2015 |
1 | Hiroaki Tominaga | 1986 |
1 | Don Wolfman | 1987 |
Records
With an astonishing record of 76 Hot Dogs and buns consumed in 10 minutes, it is Chesnut again who is the current men's record holder.
Similarily, in the women's format, it's another record for America's Sudo, with a record 51 Hot Dogs and buns eaten in 10 minutes in 2024.
Men
Record Holder | Year | Time | Hot Dogs & Buns |
|---|---|---|---|
Joey Chesnut | 2021 | 10 minutes | 76 |
Women
Record Holder | Year | Time | Hot Dogs & Buns |
|---|---|---|---|
Miki Sudo | 2024 | 10 minutes | 51 |
