Joey Chestnut's Hot Dog Triumph: What Held Him Back?
Chestnut spoke to "GMA" before the annual contest.
July 4, 2026, 1:01 PM
Joey Chestnut was crowned the winner of the 2026 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest for the 18th time on Saturday.
He ate 66 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.
"I knew I was going to be able to get the win," Chestnut said after, adding he realized early on that he would not set a new record.
"I’ve got so much room left," he said.
Joey Chestnut celebrates on stage after winning the men's division in the 2026 Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, New York, on July 4, 2026.
Jordan Tovin/Reuters
Asked whether the heat wave slowed him down, Chestnut said he didn’t want to make excuses but admitted, "Yeah it did."
"It slowed me down. There’s room for improvement," he said.
Ahead of the annual contest, Chestnut told "Good Morning America" on Saturday that he was "feeling good."
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"Feeling good, I'm hungry, and it's a beautiful day. This is going to be a great Fourth of July," Chestnut said in an interview on "GMA."
Joey Chestnut raises his fist after winning the 2026 Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest at Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York, on July 4, 2026.
Anna Connors/AP Photo
Asked if he did some intermittent fasting before the competition, he said, "I’m doing my cleanse, I'm empty and I'm loose," he said.
Miki Sudo won the women’s contest, downing 38.75 hot dogs to win for a record 12th time.
The 2026 hot dog eating contest took place at the flagship restaurant in New York's Coney Island.
Chestnut was favored to win his 18th title. He set the men’s world record in 2021 with 76 hot dogs.
