Every Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest champion by year: Complete list of every winner, from Joey Chestnut to Kobayashi

It wouldn't be the Fourth of July without hot dogs.

Whether you personally enjoy a hot dog or not, the food has become synonymous with Independence Day because of one competition — and perhaps one man.

Joey Chestnut's dominance at the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island has turned the event into a staple on the calendar, attracting a far wider audience than any other competitive eating showdown. 

Chestnut is the most famous competitive eater in the world, but he isn't the only one to win the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. Here's a complete look at the winners and key moments over the years.

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Complete list of Nathan's Hot Dog Eating champions by year

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Complete list of women's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating champions by year

Before 2011, women competed in the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest alongside men. Since that point, women have competed in their own competition at a different time on the same stage as the men. 

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Takeru Kobayashi puts competitive eating on the map

At only 23 years old, Takeru Kobayashi redefined what it means to be a hot dog eating champion. He nearly doubled the contest record of 25 1/8 by eating 50 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes in 2001, catapulting himself to American prominence after rising to fame in Japan. 

Kobayashi also revolutionized how competitors eat hot dogs during the event, making famous the process of separating the bun and dunking it in water to make it easier to swallow.

Before Chestnut became the face of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, Kobayashi launched a dynasty with six consecutive wins from 2001 through 2006. He averaged just over 50 hot dogs and buns per competition. 

Joey Chestnut's dominance

Chestnut's rise to prominence began in 2006, when he nearly prevented Kobayashi from winning his sixth consecutive Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest title. While Chestnut impressed with 52 hot dogs, Kobyashi ate nearly 54 and narrowly held on to remain the champion.

Kobayashi shattered his own record with 63 hot dogs and buns in 2007, but it still wasn't enough to hold off Chestnut, who dominated with a record 66. From there, Chestnut took control of the event year in and year out. 2007 marked the first of eight consecutive titles for Chestnut, who topped out at 69 hot dogs during that run. His streak was interrupted in 2015 by Matt Stonie, who ate 62 hot dogs to Chestnut's 60.

Chestnut launched another eight-year dynasty in 2016, bouncing back by becoming the first eater to down 70 hot dogs in 10 minutes. He broke his own record again in 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021, topping out at a stunning 76 hot dogs in 2021.

After Chestnut slowed a bit in 2022 and 2023, still winning handily, he missed the 2024 contest due to a sponsorship dispute, ending his run of eight consecutive victories. He is set to return in 2025.

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Evolution of the women's division

With the exception of 1975, men and women had competed on the same stage until women received their own competition in 2011. Two women won the all-gender edition of the contest: Melody Andorfer (1972) and Birgit Felden (1984). Sharlene Smith ate more hot dogs than all of the men in the same amount of time in 1975, but separate competitions were held that year.

While Sonya Thomas was the initial winner of the women's division and captured the first three titles, Miki Sudo proved to be the Joey Chestnut of the event. She won her first title in 2014 and has prevailed in all but one competition ever since — the only exception came in 2021, when she missed the contest due to pregnancy. 

Sudo broke Thomas' record of 45 in 2020, eating 48.5 hot dogs and buns, and she rewrote history again in 2024 with 51. 

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Growth of global participation

Between the men's and women's events, only one Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest has come from outside of both the U.S. or Japan: 1984 champion Birgit Felden, who was born in Germany. 

That is partly due to the dominance by Chestnut and Kobayashi, who have had a near monopoly on the contest since the start of the 21st century. In reality, participation from individuals of all backgrounds has become more common.

The 2024 men's contest featured competitors born in Australia, Nigeria, Brazil and the U.K. in addition to American and Japanese eaters. While the winner was American Patrick Bertoletti, Nathan's and Major League Eating have succeeded in taking the appeal of the contest — and competitive eating in general — global. 

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Notable upsets and controversial outcomes

1984

17-year-old Birgit Felden a member of West Germany's judo team, earned a stunning win in 1984 with 9.5 hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes. She had never eaten a hot dog before the contest and became the second and final woman to ever win the all-gender version of the competition before women started holding their own event in 2011. 

2001

Reigning champion Kazutoyo Arai easily broke his own record by eating 31 hot dogs and buns in 2001, but he could never have imagined that total wouldn't even be close to enough to win the contest. Kobayashi, also hailing from Japan, instead won in a landslide by eating 50 hot dogs, nearly double the record entering the competition. 

The win began an era of dominance for Kobayashi, who went on to win six consecutive Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contests before falling behind Chestnut. 

2007

After Chestnut put a serious scare into Kobayashi by eating 52 hot dogs and buns in 2006, there was no stopping him in 2007. Chestnut shattered the record with 66, enough to beat out an improved performance from Kobayashi and setting the stage for an entertaining rivalry between the two champions.

As it turned out, the rivalry was not much of a rivalry. Kobayashi never won again after 2006, and Chestnut unleashed two different streaks of eight consecutive titles to bring his total to 16.

2010

Kobayashi did not participate in the 2010 contest due to a contract dispute with Nathan's, but he still showed up to the event as a member of the crowd wearing a shirt that read, "Free Kobi." At the end of the contest, Kobayashi attempted to get onto the stage but was escorted away and arrested.

2015

The only person preventing Chestnut from claiming a 17-year run of uninterrupted dominance is Matt Stonie, who ate 62 hot dogs to Chestnut's 60 for an upset win in 2015. After the loss, Chestnut said he was grateful for the competition and the way Stonie challenged him. Chestnut responded to that challenge in a major way, winning eight consecutive titles starting in 2016 and breaking his own record four times.

2024

With Chestnut missing the contest due to a contract dispute, Patrick Bertoletti became only the fourth different champion in a span of 24 years with 58 hot dogs and buns eaten. He won by five hot dogs, beating out Geoffrey Esper's 53. 

The competition received perhaps more attention for Chestnut's absence than Bertoletti's win, but 58 hot dogs was still only four behind Chestnut's winning mark of 62 from 2023. The absence ultimately only lasted one year for Chestnut.