2026 Nathan’s qualifier “line segment” announced

April 9, 2026 at 2:42 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Harrisburg, Hartford, Nathan's Hot Dog Contest

Registration is now open for the 2026 Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest qualifiers. With just two competitions, the qualifier schedule can be more accurately described as a line segment than a circuit. Both contests will be held at northeastern USA theme parks in the middle of June:

There were 16 qualifiers for the 2019 Nathan’s Famous finals, 6 for 2025.

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The 242 Pub & Grill in Spring, TX will hold a crawfish eating contest on April 18 awarding $300 to the winner and $200 to the runner up.

April 8, 2026 at 1:31 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Houston, Prizes, Unafilliated Contests | Permalink * Comments

The field for the Ultimate Bologna Showdown in Knoxville, TN on May 9 has been announced: Joey Chestnut, Pat Bertoletti, Geoffrey Esper, James Webb, Nick Wehry, Radim Dvoracek, Cameron Meade, Tanner Gray, Crazy Legs Conti, Andrew Kogutkiewicz, Matthew Raible, Rene Rovtar and Cherish Brown.

April 6, 2026 at 11:09 pm by ojrifkin · More posts about:Contest Previews, Knoxville | Permalink * Comments (3)

Stable Craft in Waynesboro, VA will hold a wing eating contest on April 25 awarding $1000 to the winner.

April 6, 2026 at 1:40 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Prizes, Unafilliated Contests, Virginia | Permalink * Comments

The Extreme Eating World Cake Eating "Championship" will be livestreamed today starting at 11:45 am eastern. Despite the title, the only listed opponents for Joey Chestnut will be two Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive linemen. update Joey Chestnut ate 10.5 pounds of chocolate cake in 5 minutes. Four Buccaneers linemen combined for 9.5 pounds.

April 4, 2026 at 9:09 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Joey Chestnut, Tampa | Permalink * Comments (10)

The Mega Night Market in St. Petersburg, FL will hold amateur eating contests for spicy lao sausages on April 24, spicy papaya salad on April 25 and chicken skewers on April 26. All three contests will award $750 to the winner.

April 4, 2026 at 1:10 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Prizes, Tampa, Unafilliated Contests | Permalink * Comments

Smashburger UK will hold a hot dog eating contest in Bath, England on April 24 awarding £500 to the winner.

April 3, 2026 at 12:33 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Prizes, Somerset, Unafilliated Contests | Permalink * Comments

Rustler's Roost in Phoenix will hold a wing eating contest on April 12 awarding $200/$150/$100 to the top three.

April 2, 2026 at 4:09 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Phoenix, Prizes, Unafilliated Contests | Permalink * Comments

Sussex World has an article about Franco Angelini of Franco's Feasts attempting the "Honky Tonk Platter" challenge at H's Diner in Terminus Road.

April 1, 2026 at 2:22 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Hot Dog Eating Challenges, Sussex | Permalink * Comments (3)

The Dallas Pizza Fest will hold a pizza eating contest in Grand Prairie, TX on April 26 awarding $150/$100/$50 to the top three.

March 31, 2026 at 1:03 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Dallas, Prizes, Unafilliated Contests | Permalink * Comments

Wings & Wheels will hold a hot wing eating contest on May 9 in Park Hills, MO awarding $350 to the winner and $150 to the runner up.

March 30, 2026 at 12:47 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:St. Louis | Permalink * Comments

Food Challenge News has an article about the British Eating League and its founder Craig Harker.

March 29, 2026 at 1:21 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Organizations, United Kingdom | Permalink * Comments (2)

The Carnegie Deli will hold a 24 layer chocolate cake eating contest at a Taste of Vienna in Vienna, VA on April 25. The winner will receive $500 cash and a $1000 gift card. Second and third place will receive $350 and $150 gift cards.

March 28, 2026 at 3:48 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Northern Virginia, Prizes, Unafilliated Contests | Permalink * Comments (4)

Mystic Lake in Prior Lake, MN will hold the Great Midwest Rib Fest World Rib Eating Championship on June 27.

March 26, 2026 at 9:14 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Minneapolis | Permalink * Comments (3)

USA Today's For The Win has an interview with Joey Chestnut about partnering with Major League Eating to produce a version of the 9-9-9 challenge which will be available at six ball parks. The menu item consists of 9 undersized hot dogs, 9 small cups and a 24 ounce beer. SFGate found that the beer was insufficient to fill all the containers.

March 25, 2026 at 11:20 pm by ojrifkin · More posts about:Hot Dog Eating Challenges, Joey Chestnut | Permalink * Comments (4)

Registration is open for the ManorPalooza World Texas Sausage-Eating Championship in Manor, TX on May 2.

March 25, 2026 at 8:35 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Austin | Permalink * Comments (1)

Extreme Eating Championships announced that Joey Chestnut will be competing in its World Chocolate Cake Eating Championship at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on April 4. I think this will be the first time a Major League Eating competitor has done a contest sanctioned by an organization other than MLE. Buccaneers offensive linemen Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke will also compete.

March 24, 2026 at 4:22 pm by ojrifkin · More posts about:Joey Chestnut, Male Athletes, Organizations, Tampa | Permalink * Comments (38)

The Nairobi Times reports that Boniface Ondimu passed away after choking in a bread eating competition held in Nairobi, Kenya. This is the second competitive eating fatality in 48 hours after a tragedy in Jamaica took place this past weekend. The last time this happened was in early April 2017 when Caitlin Nelson and Travis Maloof passed away after choking at events in New Jersey and Denver.

March 24, 2026 at 8:20 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Africa, Fatalities | Permalink * Comments (1)

The website for the 2026 Barbecue Battle in Washington, DC does not mention a Nathan's Famous hot dog qualifier.The June event has held a qualifier every year since 2016 (excluding 2020 and 2021).

March 24, 2026 at 1:51 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:District of Columbia, Nathan's Hot Dog Contest | Permalink * Comments (1)

Irie FM reports that 37 year old Kerron Powell passed away after choking in a bun eating contest held in Jamaica yesterday.

March 23, 2026 at 12:33 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Fatalities | Permalink * Comments

Master Pho in Doraville, GA will hold a pho eating contest on March 29 awarding free pho for one year to the winner and an iPhone 17 to the runner up. 3rd and 4th places will receive $500 and $200 gift cards.

March 22, 2026 at 2:39 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Atlanta, Prizes, Unafilliated Contests | Permalink * Comments (5)

Dexerto reports that a South Korean woman has been charged with defamation for claiming that Tzuyang vomited after her meals, a claim the mukbang star denied. Tzuyang has said she eats up to 30,000 calories in a day.

March 21, 2026 at 1:46 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Korea, Women | Permalink * Comments (26)

Island Pacific in Elk Grove, CA will hold amateur and professional lumpia eating contests on March 21 awarding a total of $2000 with the winner of both divisions receiving $500. Raina Huang will attend but not compete.

March 19, 2026 at 10:22 pm by ojrifkin · More posts about:Prizes, Sacramento, Unafilliated Contests | Permalink * Comments

Registration is open on MajorLeagueEating.com for the Saugus Wing Eating Championship at the Brook Casino in Seabrook, NH on July 11.

March 18, 2026 at 11:29 pm by ojrifkin · More posts about:New Hampshire | Permalink * Comments (12)

The Barnet Post has an article about Max Stanford, Franco's Feasts and Nick of "Lifting Weights, Cleaning Plates" attempting a whole lamb weighing about 15 kg at Goda Restaurant on Ballards Lane in London.

March 18, 2026 at 2:03 am by ojrifkin · More posts about:Eating Challenges, London, Max Stanford, Team Challenges | Permalink * Comments (15)

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