Could you eat 66 hotdogs in 10 minutes?
By Marie Coyle
@MarieCoyle (61798)
July 4, 2026 1:16pm CST
Oh, you have to eat the buns, too.
In catching up on news, I read about the 2026 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest. This contest takes place every year in Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY. I have never desired to see it or followed it, but today the article and such caught my interest. The idea of anyone eating literally dozens of hot dogs in one sitting seems sickening and appalling to me, but hey...I know nothing about eating contests, and I hope I never do.
Joey Chestnut won today for the 18th time, eating 66 hot dogs with buns, in ten minutes. In 2021 he set the world record, winning after eating 76 hot dogs with buns.
The woman winner today, Miki Sudo, won her 12th title after eating almost 39 hot dogs with buns.
Evidently people have died participating in eating contests, although not Nathan's. Am I the only one who thinks this is...rather sickening? And did you know that Competitive Eating is a recognized sport?
https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/general/joey-chestnut-wins-his-18th-nathan-s-famous-hot-dog-eating-contest/ar-AA27cpUt?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=6a485d8981ed4ef794dca46a33fa91cb&cvpid=6642804694f349ca9ac55245d4ccc4a8&ei=32
20 people like this
20 responses
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
4 Jul
The only kind I will consider eating are the ones my son in law gets once or twice over the summer, made in a local German delicatessen. I will eat one of those. But to eat that much of anything at all is ridiculous.
2 people like this
@rebelann (118518)
• El Paso, Texas
4 Jul
Well, I could eat a whole lotta watermelon or cantaloupe but not enough to enter a contest @MarieCoyle besides, that would be one hell of a sticky mess.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
4 Jul
@rebelann
I just can’t imagine eating that fast or that much in ten minutes. Very hard on the body,too. Not a good sport for anyone to try.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (192541)
• Boise, Idaho
5 Jul
That's a lot of dogs. I can eat a couple. The ones we get are special, not regular ones. Can't think what they're called. Pretty tasty.
3 people like this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
5 Jul
I just can't eat much processed meats at all. Tons of sodium nitrates and my body doesn't do well with them anymore.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (192541)
• Boise, Idaho
5 Jul
@MarieCoyle ........i see. I just eat what i want when I want. I will only go through this life once and I'm already 74. I like junk food. I also like good food like spinach, salmon, avocados, and blueberries.
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
5 Jul
@celticeagle
There are some things I cannot have--not a lot, but I can't eat many nitrates. I was told they interfere with a medication that I am taking that I need, so even if I wanted to, I won't eat them.
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (59971)
• Philippines
5 Jul
It is sickening but it has been part of the July 4th celebration.
People actually bet on how many hotdogs the winner will eat.
3 people like this
@allen0187 (59971)
• Philippines
5 Jul
@MarieCoyle it is.
Was having hotdogs for breakfast. Wasn't able to finish it.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
5 Jul
When you think about it, it's kind of stupid as well as sickening.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
5 Jul
@allen0187
I have had leftover pizza before for breakfast, but it's been a long, long time since I've done that. Once in a while, my son wants leftovers for breakfast--if there is any spaghetti or lasagna in the fridge that I have made, he eats some of that.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (87190)
• United States
5 Jul
And just think…they could be showing professional miniature golfers instead.
I don’t watch it. I agree with you, it’s sickening.
3 people like this
@Orson_Kart (8580)
• United Kingdom
12 Jul
Is that normal sized people playing miniature golf, or small people playing normal golf? 
2 people like this
@FourWalls (87190)
• United States
12 Jul
@Orson_Kart — 
We have a player we call the Gnome because he’s short. We come in all shapes and sizes, playing miniature golf.
We have a player we call the Gnome because he’s short. We come in all shapes and sizes, playing miniature golf.1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
5 Jul
Yes,they could! You probably know enough professional miniature golfers to make that happen, too. 
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (57152)
• Canada
5 Jul
@MarieCoyle When growing up we would have considered that gluttony.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
5 Jul
I know what you're saying. There is no way I could ever watch anyone do this.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
5 Jul
@Juliaacv
Umm, that’s what it is. And glorified food waste.
1 person likes this
@Orson_Kart (8580)
• United Kingdom
12 Jul
Our Leah Shutkever swallows hotdogs (without buns) whole! She just shoves them down her throat. Her record is 24 hotdogs in 1 minute and 20 seconds. How she doesn’t gag amazes me. 
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (125311)
• United States
5 Jul
I guess if there is money at stake, and you find out you are good at doing the thing that wins a lot of money, you live with the fact that you’re doing something gross and/or slightly dangerous. I know a lot of them say they throw it all up afterwards so at least they don’t keep all that sodium in their systems. Crazy!
3 people like this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
5 Jul
There have been people actually die from competitive eating. I can't believe it is actually classified as a sport. I mean...really??
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (211835)
• United States
5 Jul
I couldn't eat 6 hot dogs in 10 minutes
3 people like this
@Orson_Kart (8580)
• United Kingdom
12 Jul
Not to mention the price of hotdogs these days! I always thought they were made from pork, but most sold here seems to be reconstituted chicken. If you want pork, you have to fork out more. Or is it “pork out more”? Either way it’s too costly
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
14 Jul
@Orson_Kart
They still have what I call ''cheap hotdogs'' available in some places here, at least sometimes. And I have to say they are often gristly and plain old nasty. I think I would rather have one that was of better quality than the entire package of those nasty ones.
We can get regular hotdogs that are generally made from pork, beef, and chicken mixed together. (In other words, the leftovers from the butchering of these animals, and do not ask what those are, please!) Then we can get just turkey hotdogs, or just beef hotdogs. I am sure there are other mixtures, but those are the ones I am familiar with. And you are correct, they are no longer cheap.
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
5 Jul
My son said the same thing. He said 2 is max for him, and it would take him more than 6 minutes to eat 2. To be fair, I don't think I have seen him eat more than one hotdog at a sitting for years now.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
4 Jul
I don’t understand how anyone can eat that much of anything in 10 minutes!!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (507970)
• Italy
6 Jul
@MarieCoyle - I cannot understand how people can do something like that, we are not pigs.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
6 Jul
@LadyDuck
People aren't supposed to be pigs, but we do have to wonder if some of them are part pig? Yep.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
6 Jul
It's just gluttony. And the thought of it is pretty nauseating to me, too.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (139429)
• Marion, Ohio
4 Jul
I don't watch them and don't understand wanting to do it
3 people like this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
4 Jul
I don't watch them, either. I just read it in the online news...there is no way I can watch someone doing that, ugh. Gross.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (139429)
• Marion, Ohio
4 Jul
@MarieCoyle It is hard to even see scenes in movies of people doing it.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (99991)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
4 Jul
That is crazy but if they can do it and want to who am I to say no, I would not even try one of the reasons for my lifelong struggle with anxiety was a terrible choking incident many years ago,
3 people like this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
4 Jul
Well it’s not even possible to eat anywhere near that amount of food in ten minutes and actually chew it up. It makes me wonder the lengths that these people go to in order to gain attention.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (124496)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
4 Jul
I can only eat so many hot dogs before I have to stop due to my taste buds telling me to stop.
3 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (124496)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
5 Jul
@MarieCoyle I learned that lesson the hard way when I was younger.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
5 Jul
@Deepizzaguy
I think many of us have done the same, George.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
5 Jul
Too much of anything is never a good thing, I agree.
1 person likes this
@Orson_Kart (8580)
• United Kingdom
12 Jul
I was engrossed (and “grossed”) by these competitive eaters for a while. It started with our own UK eaters: Leah Shutkever, and “Beard Meets Food”. That led me to watch the likes of Joey Chestnut and Molly Schuyler. Both Leah and Molly had me fascinated by how slim they were. It seems impossible to eat so much with a small frame. The fascination has wained over the years, but I do sometimes check-in with them, mainly to see if they have exploded!
As for me and eating hotdogs: They don’t form part of my routine diet, but I do occasionally indulge. When I do, it’s usually only one and I like to relish it with added relish. I’m not the greatest swallower, so no speed eating for me. Gulp!
As for me and eating hotdogs: They don’t form part of my routine diet, but I do occasionally indulge. When I do, it’s usually only one and I like to relish it with added relish. I’m not the greatest swallower, so no speed eating for me. Gulp!1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
14 Jul
Hotdogs are not in my radar, either. It took me a long time to re-teach myself not to bolt my food and eat so fast (busy mom, always in a hurry, ya know) and I eat slowly now...I am not going back to eating fast, not ever.
@Marilynda1225 (91838)
• United States
6 Jul
I don't know how anyone would want to participate in a competitive eating contest but can't say I'm surprised Joey Chestnut won again.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (22598)
• United States
21 Jul
I read about this. No I couldn't do that.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (61798)
•
23 Jul
I don't honestly know anyone who would even try this. Yuck!
1 person likes this
@Traceyjayne (13220)
• United Kingdom
5 Jul
How on earth does he eat that many in that time …..sure, if I was hungry the first couple would disappear quite quickly but at only around 3 or 4 I think I would struggle …..and that’s not even being timed !
2 people like this
