Hot dogs are America’s most cherished street food dishes. Emulsified meat trimmings stuffed into a stuffed bun and topped with mustard toppings are a go-to snack for children and adults. But the popularity of the dish does not end on street stalls, it escalates to annual competitions held around the country, on July 4 (Independence Day in the United States), in which a participant who eats the maximum number of hot dogs receives a cash prize and other goodies.
If you have seen ‘How I Met Your Mother’ or ‘Modern Family’, you must be well aware of this competition. The Nathan’s Famous organised a Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, New York, on July 4, 2024. There were thousands of people who witnessed participants making new records and leaving everyone stunned.
Man Ate 58 Hot Dogs
Bet yourself and think how many hot dogs can you eat in 10 minutes? 10? 20? 30? Patrick Bertoletti, a 26-year-old man from Chicago, won the competition by eating 58 hot dogs and buns.
According to CNBC News, Bertoletti said, “I’m in the greatest country in the world, the greatest eating contest in the world, and it’s perfect perfection.” Not only did he just win the contest, but he also got to take home $20,000 and the coveted Mustard Yellow Belt. The crowd cheered as Bertoletti became the first man to receive the title after 8 years in the men's championship.
Following Patrick Bertoletti was Geoffrey Esper from Oxford, Massachusetts. He ate 53 hot dogs, while Nick Wehry of Tampa, Florida finished the third position by eating 52 hot dogs and buns. Reportedly, Joey Chestnut won the competition in 2023 by eating 40 hot dogs and a bun, and he holds a record of gulping down 76 in under 10 minutes in 2021.
Woman Ate 51 Hot Dogs
In the category of women’s championship, Miki Sudo, a 38-year-old participant, won the contest by eating 51 hot dogs and buns in under 10 minutes. This is the highest number of hot dogs that a woman has eaten in this category of championship. She has been winning the contest since 2014, except for 2017 when she was reportedly pregnant and did not participate.
The CBS News quoted her saying, “I think what this means for the women’s contest is that, first of all, our personal bests are just gonna keep going on, the record’s gonna keep increasing. After 10 years, I still have more to give, and you’re not done with me just yet.”
Mayoi Ebihara finished in second position. She ate 37 hot dogs and buns, and Michelle Lesco finished third by eating 23 hot dogs.