Hot dog eating champion Joey Chestnut returns to 4th of July competition after 2024 ban

Look out Coney Island, Joey Chestnut is back in the game for the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest!

Chestnut announced the news on his social media, writing, “I’m thrilled to be returning to the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. This event means the world to me. It’s a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life.”

He continued, “While I have and continue to partner with a variety of companies, including some in the plant-based space, those relationships were never a conflict with my love for hot dogs. To be clear: Nathan’s is the only hot dog company I’ve ever worked with.”

Chestnut was banned from last year’s contest with Nathan’s due to a dispute with Major League Eating over his sponsorship deal with Impossible Goods, a food company that produces plant-based hot dogs, according to ESPN.

“I respect that there were differences in interpretation, but I’m grateful we’ve been able to find common ground,” he wrote on X.

He added, “I’m excited to be back on the Coney Island stage, doing what I live to do, and celebrating the Fourth of July with hot dogs in my hands!”

While he was out last year, Patrick Bertoletti took home the win by eating 58 hot dogs, four behind Chestnut’s winning total of 62 hot dogs in 2023, per The New York Times.

His record for the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest stands at 76 hot dogs, set in 2021.

Chestnut competed in a separate competition on Netflix on Labor Day against his longtime rival Takeru Kobayashi, with Chestnut winning by eating 83 hot dogs to Kobayashi’s 67, setting an unofficial record.