Joey Chestnut secured his 18th Mustard Belt victory at the annual Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, New York, on July 4, 2026, consuming 66 hot dogs in 10 minutes. The reigning champion faced extreme heat near 100°F (38°C) with high humidity, which he said hampered his performance and prevented him from approaching his world record of 76 hot dogs set in 2021.
Chestnut Cites Heat as Key Factor
Chestnut, who ate 70.5 hot dogs at the 2025 event, acknowledged the challenging conditions. “I knew early that I was going to win, but I also knew early I wasn’t going to break the record,” he told ESPN after the contest. He noted that the heat affected both the texture of the buns and the competitors’ stamina. At one point, sweat dripped from his forehead onto a half-eaten hot dog in his mouth. “I’m not going to get into it looking for an excuse, but yeah, it slowed me down,” Chestnut added.
Competition Results
Patrick Bertoletti, the 2024 champion, finished second with 51 hot dogs. In the women’s division, undefeated champion Miki Sudo won her 12th title by eating 38.75 hot dogs. The contest, held at the original Nathan’s Famous location on Coney Island, drew large crowds despite the heatwave affecting much of the East Coast.
