As is hallowed American tradition, the 2024 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest will take place on the Fourth of July this week, but there will be a notable absence at Coney Island come Thursday. The famous eating competition will be missing its biggest star of the last two decades. Joey Chestnut, who holds the record at the competition for most hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes (76 in 2021) and the record for most wins (16) at Nathan’s, was banned from the 2024 tournament.
Chestnut, the reigning Mustard Yellow Belt winner, signed an endorsement deal with Impossible Foods earlier this year, prompting Major League Eating — the organization that runs competitive eating events like Nathan’s — to axe him from the tournament. The partnership with a non-Nathan’s hot dog brand caused a rift between Chestnut and the organization, the latter of which released a statement that read: “For nearly two decades we have worked under the same basic hot dog exclusivity provisions. However, it seems that Joey and his managers have prioritized a new partnership with a different hot dog brand over our long-time relationship.”
The competition’s choice to ban the biggest star of the past two decades may have an effect on its viewership, as Americans tune in every year to watch folk hero Chestnut dominate the contest. This is not the first time that Nathan’s and MLE have alienated one of their biggest stars — in 2009, six-time champion Takeru Kobayashi parted ways with Nathan’s after a contract dispute with MLE.
Worry not, Chestnut fans — the champion won’t suffer from any hot dog shortage this Fourth. He agreed to participate in an alternate holiday tournament in Fort Bliss, Texas. And in what will likely be the most anticipated competitive eating event of the decade, Kobayashi has agreed to come out of retirement to face Chestnut one-on-one in a hot dog eating contest on Labor Day 2024.
Chestnut fell to Kobayashi in 2005 and 2006 before defeating him for the first time at Nathan’s in 2007. In 2008, the two tied in regulation and participated in a five-dog eat-off, which Chestnut won. 2009 marked the final year the two faced off at Nathan’s, and Chestnut defeated Kobayashi by a score of 3.5 hot dogs.
Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef will air on Netflix this Labor Day, as two of the best to ever do it go head to head — or, rather, gullet to gullet.