Joey Chestnut wins his 17th Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating title!
The Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest took place on Friday, July 4th, as part of the great tradition to begin the holiday weekend. It has quickly turned into an extremely popular event with over 40,000 people attending in person and millions more watching at home. This competition featured the return of Joey Chestnut and he did not disappoint, eating 70.5 hot dogs on his way to his 17th title.
Chestnut did not compete at the 2024 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest after agreeing to a deal with a rival company. Organizers from the event worked hard to meet the demands of Chestnut but he ultimately chose to represent Impossible Foods, a plant-based food company, launched a vegan hot dog that is made from plants. In June, Chestnut announced his return to Coney Island.
While he did not compete at this event in 2024, Chestnut still put on a show in other ways. In September, Chestnut went up against Takeru Kobayashi during a hot dog eating contest on Netflix’s Labor Day special “Unfinished Beef.” The competitors were given 10 minutes on the clock but were not permitted to dunk the hot dogs or buns in liquids.
Chestnut continued to be the best in the world, beating his world record as he ate 83 hot dogs and buns during the competition.
2025 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Results
In 2007, Joey Chestnut took over as champion and has now won 17 of the last 19 titles. He has eclipsed the 60-hot dog mark in 16 of his last 18 competitions. This includes going over 70 six times and setting a new event record of 76 in 2021.
- First Place – Joey Chestnut, 70.5
- Second Place – Patrick Bertoletti, 46.5
- Third Place – James Webb, 45.5
James Webb Documentary
James Webb has been a contender to win the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in recent years. He finished third the last two years and will contend for this position once again. Generation Iron is working on producing a documentary on James Webb and have been following him during his journey to become the #1 competitive eater in the world.
James Can Eat is a gripping documentary feature that follows the extraordinary rise of James Webb, Australia’s top-ranked competitive eater and the fourth in the world, as he battles physical limits, personal setbacks, and global rivals in his quest to dethrone eating icon Joey Chestnut. From smashing records like devouring 59.5 donuts in a sitting to recovering from a near-paralyzing illness, Webb’s journey unfolds through raw, intimate moments with his family, reflections on his abandoned soccer career, and his viral leap into fame.
The film delves into the grueling training, health consequences, and ethical controversies of the sport, culminating in a dramatic showdown at the Nathan’s Hotdog Eating Contest, where chaos threatens to derail everything. At its core, James Can Eat is a story of resilience, obsession, and the human drive to be the best—no matter the cost.
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Champions
- 1967: Walter Paul
- 1972: Jason Schechter and Melody Andorfer
- 1974: John Connolley and Roberto Muriel
- 1974: Roberto Muriel
- 1974: Walter Paul and Paul Sirop
- 1975: Lonnie Brown and Sharlene Smith
- 1978: Kevin Sinclair and Manel Hollenback
- 1979: Jim Mather and Luther Frazier
- 1980: Joe Baldini and Paul Siderman
- 1981: Thomas Deberry
- 1982: Steve Abrams
- 1983: Emil Gomez
- 1984: Birgir Felden
- 1985: Oscar Rodriguez
- 1986: Mark Heller
- 1987: Don Wolfman
- 1988-89: Jay Green
- 1990: Jay Green and Mike DeVito
- 1991-92: Frankie Dellarosa
- 1993-94: Mike DeVito
- 1995-96: Ed Krachie
- 1997-98: Hirofumi Nakajima
- 1999: Steve Keiner
- 2000: Kazutoyo Arai
- 2001-2006: Takeru Kobayashi
- 2007-2014: Joey Chestnut
- 2015: Matt Stonie
- 2016-2023: Joey Chestnut
- 2024: Patrick Bertoletti
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