Joey Chestnut won’t compete in Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest after he chose ‘rival’

What in the hot dog world is going on here?

Joey Chestnut is the world’s most famous hot dog eater, and he is going through some changes that will impact his annual domination of other world-class chewers.

Chestnut won’t partake in this year’s Nathan’s hot dog eating contest due to beef with the famous hot dog brand over vegan franks.

A representative for Major League Eating, which Nathan’s sanctions to run the event, said the organizers bent over backwards to meet Chestnut’s demands, but not his main one, reported the New York Post:

Joey Chestnut, perennial winner of the annual July 4th Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Competition, is out of this year’s beef barf over a deal he made to represent a different wiener brand, The Post has learned.

And not just any brand, but Impossible Foods, which recently launched a vegan frankfurter impostor made from plants.

What better athlete for Impossible Foods to sponsor than Chestnut, a 16-time Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest champion — from 2007 to 2014 and 2016 to 2023 — who ranked first in the world by Major League Eating and is the face of processed meat.

“MLE and Nathan’s went to great lengths to accommodate Joey and his management team, agreeing to the appearance fee and allowing Joey to compete in a rival, unbranded hot dog eating contest on Labor Day,” MLE wrote in a statement.

It’s unfortunate yet understandable why Nathan’s could not comply with Chestnut openly consuming a different food altogether when his competition would be tasked with the heavier, sodium-filled dogs, which are tough to keep down.

Todderick Hunt covers Sports and Culture. Do you have a story idea or a tip? He can be reached at thunt@njadvancemedia.com.