Could you eat 66 hotdogs in 10 minutes?
By Marie Coyle
@MarieCoyle (60123)
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
16 people like this
16 responses
@MarieCoyle (60123)
•
10h
The only kind I will consider eating are the ones my son in law gets once or twice over the summer, made in. 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 (117510)
• El Paso, Texas
10h
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 (60123)
•
9h
@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
@allen0187 (59928)
• Philippines
6h
It is sickening but it has been part of the July 4th celebration.
People actually bet on how many hotdogs the winner will eat.
2 people like this
@allen0187 (59928)
• Philippines
4h
@MarieCoyle it is.
Was having hotdogs for breakfast. Wasn't able to finish it.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (60123)
•
5h
When you think about it, it's kind of stupid as well as sickening.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (60123)
•
4h
@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
@celticeagle (190928)
• Boise, Idaho
7h
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.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (190928)
• Boise, Idaho
6h
@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 (60123)
•
4h
@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.
@MarieCoyle (60123)
•
7h
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
@Juliaacv (56671)
• Canada
7h
@MarieCoyle When growing up we would have considered that gluttony.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (60123)
•
7h
I know what you're saying. There is no way I could ever watch anyone do this.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (122926)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
7h
I can only eat so many hot dogs before I have to stop due to my taste buds telling me to stop.
2 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (122926)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
3h
@MarieCoyle I learned that lesson the hard way when I was younger.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (122243)
• United States
5h
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!
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (60123)
•
4h
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
@MarieCoyle (60123)
•
5h
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.
@FourWalls (87435)
• United States
3h
And just think…they could be showing professional miniature golfers instead.
I don’t watch it. I agree with you, it’s sickening.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (60123)
•
2h
Yes,they could! You probably know enough professional miniature golfers to make that happen, too. 
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (60123)
•
10h
I don’t understand how anyone can eat that much of anything in 10 minutes!!
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (136875)
• Marion, Ohio
8h
I don't watch them and don't understand wanting to do it
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (136875)
• Marion, Ohio
8h
@MarieCoyle It is hard to even see scenes in movies of people doing it.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (60123)
•
8h
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
@RasmaSandra (98716)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
10h
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,
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (60123)
•
9h
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.
