Nathan's Famous - Hot Dog and Buns Eating Contest

Hot Dog and Buns Eating Contest

The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest has been held at the original location on Coney Island since the early 1970s. Although a company spokesman claims that "legend" has it that the contest dates to 1916, the men responsible for originating the contest acknowledge fabricating the earlier inception. Contestants try to consume the most hot dogs (and buns) in a ten-minute time period. The Nathan's event is at the center of the competitive eating circuit. Takeru Kobayashi won the 2006 competition by ingesting a world-record 54 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes. This was his sixth consecutive victory in the tournament. In 2007, although setting his personal record of 63 hot dogs and buns (HDBs), he lost by a margin of 3 hot dogs to Joey Chestnut, who consumed a new world record of 66. In 2008, the time limit was changed to ten minutes. Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi tied with 59 hot dogs, before going to a tiebreaker of 5 hot dogs. Joey Chestnut won, having eaten 64 hot dogs. In 2009, Chestnut won again with a new record of 68 hot dogs. Kobayashi came in second with 64.5, although Kobyashi later claimed in 2011 to eat 69. In fact, a video on YouTube, entitled, "Kobayashi Real Count," showed that he in fact ate 65. Chestnut tied his record and consumed 68 dogs at the 97th annual competition on July 4, 2012, which also garnered him a sixth straight win at Nathan's Famous.