Fish Tales in Ocean City, MD will hold a hot dog eating contest on July 4 awarding $1000 to the winner.
The New York Post has an interview with Joey Chestnut about his return to Nathan's Famous hot dog eating contest. He also discusses his fiancee Brie, but says he has yet to set a wedding date. He says a guy from Montreal (most likely Australian James Webb) is his only threat.
Hurricane, WV will hold a hot dog eating contest on July 4 awarding $500/$250/$100 to the top three.
2025 ESPN Nathan’s schedule
The ESPN schedule for the men’s and women’s 2025 Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest is finally out. Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo will have personal cameras. The documentary, “The Good, The Bad, The Hungry will also be rerun three times.
The New York Times reports that Mortimer Matz, co-founder of the Nathan's Famous hot dog eating contest, has passed away at the age of 100.
Pittsbugh Magazine has an article about Wildcat Championship Belts in Latrobe, PA, producer of the belts for Nathan'Famous hot dog eating contest.
Dat Dog in New Orleans will hold a hot dog eating contest on July 4 awarding $500 to the winner.
Cherish Brown appeared on WFFT to discuss competing in the Nathan's Famous finals for the third year in a row.
The Corner Spot in Ocean Beach, NY will hold a hot dog eating contest on July 4 awarding $500 to the winner.
Reuters reports that the government of China has called on citizens to "rationally resist bad content" of extreme eating shows due to food waste and unhealthy behavior.
2025 Nathan’s Famous field
MajorLeagueEating.com has a page about the 2025 Nathan’s finals listing the fields. Ricardo Corbucci from Brazil will be the only international bye.
Men
Champion byes: Joey Chestnut, Pat Bertoletti
Qualifier winners
| 2025 May 10 | 43 | Geoffrey Esper | Bristol, CT |
| 2025 Jun 5 | 47.5 | Nick Wehry | Parma, OH |
| 2025 Jun 7 | 29.5 | Radim Dvoracek | Shawnee, KS |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 33.5 | Derek Hendrickson | Pleasanton, CA |
| 2025 Jun 21 | 26.5 | George Chiger | Hershey, PA |
| 2025 Jun 21 | 48 | James Webb | Washington, DC |
Wild Cards
| 2025 Jun 5 | 37 | Max Stanford | Parma, OH |
| 2025 Jun 21 | 33 | Gideon Oji | Washington, DC |
| 2025 Jun 21 | 32 | Adrian “The Rabbit” Morgan | Washington, DC |
| 2025 Jun 5 | 29.5 | Darrien “Cheesecurd” Thomas | Parma, OH |
| 2025 Jun 7 | 25 | Cameron Meade | Shawnee, KS |
International bye: Ricardo Corbucci (Brazil)
Women
Champion byes: Miki Sudo, Michelle Lesco
Qualifier Winners
| 2025 May 10 | 12 | Larell Marie “The Real Deal” Mele | Bristol, CT |
| 2025 Jun 5 | 10.5 | Kelly Lewis | Parma, OH |
| 2025 Jun 7 | 11.25 | Jocelyn Young | Shawnee, KS |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 23.5 | Domenica “Dee Street Eats” Dee | Pleasanton, CA |
| 2025 Jun 21 | 8 | Laura Beitel | Washington, DC |
| 2025 Jun 21 | 8.5 | Camille O’Brien | Hershey, PA |
Wild Cards
| 2025 Jun 14 | 16 | Tandra Childress | Pleasanton, CA |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 15 | Katie Prettyman | Pleasanton, CA |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 11.5 | Isabeau Pearl Prettyman | Pleasanton, CA |
| 2025 Jun 5 | 8.5 | Cherish “Five Pounds” Brown | Parma, OH |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 8.5 | Elizabeth “Glizzy Lizzie” Salgado | Pleasanton, CA |
| 2025 May 10 | 8.5 | Madison Barone | Bristol, CT |
The page says that both the men’s and women’s contests will be televised live on ESPN News and also streamed on ESPN3. This contradicts ESPN’s schedule page which says the men’s competiton will be live on ESPN2.
Registration is now open for the Great Midwest Rib Fest World Rib Eating Championship to be held July 26 at Mystic Lake in Prior Lake, MN and Smoke's Poutinerie World Poutine Eating Championship in Toronto on September 6.
Final 2025 Nathan’s qualifier results
With all the Nathan’s qualifiers for 2025 complete, here is the current field:
Champion Byes:
Joey Chestnut, Pat Bertoletti
Miki Sudo, Michelle Lesco
Qualifier winners:
| 2025 May 10 | 43 | Geoffrey Esper | Bristol, CT |
| 2025 Jun 5 | 47.5 | Nick Wehry | Parma, OH |
| 2025 Jun 7 | 29.5 | Radim Dvoracek | Shawnee, KS |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 33.5 | Derek Hendrickson | Pleasanton, CA |
| 2025 Jun 21 | 26.5 | George Chiger | Hershey, PA |
| 2025 Jun 21 | 48 | James Webb | Washington, DC |
| 2025 May 10 | 12 | Larell Marie “The Real Deal” Mele | Bristol, CT |
| 2025 Jun 5 | 10.5 | Kelly Lewis | Parma, OH |
| 2025 Jun 7 | 11.25 | Jocelyn Young | Shawnee, KS |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 23.5 | Domenica “Dee Street Eats” Dee | Pleasanton, CA |
| 2025 Jun 21 | 8 | Laura Beitel | Washington, DC |
| 2025 Jun 21 | 8.5 | Camille O’Brien | Hershey, PA |
There have been three or four wild card entrants the past two years, but the number has yet to be officially announced. Here are the wild card leaders:
| 2025 Jun 5 | 37 | Max Stanford | Parma, OH |
| 2025 Jun 21 | 33 | Gideon Oji | Washington, DC |
| 2025 Jun 21 | 32 | Adrian “The Rabbit” Morgan | Washington, DC |
| 2025 Jun 5 | 29.5 | Darrien “Cheesecurd” Thomas | Parma, OH |
| 2025 Jun 7 | 25 | Cameron Meade | Shawnee, KS |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 16 | Tandra Childress | Pleasanton, CA |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 15 | Katie Prettyman | Pleasanton, CA |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 11.5 | Isabeau Pearl Prettyman | Pleasanton, CA |
| 2025 Jun 5 | 8.5 | Cherish “Five Pounds” Brown | Parma, OH |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 8.5 | Elizabeth “Glizzy Lizzie” Salgado | Pleasanton, CA |
| 2025 May 10 | 8.5 | Madison Barone | Bristol, CT |
Corbucci from Brazil is currently in the USA and practicing for the contest, so he will apparently receive an international bye. Presumably there will be other international byes.
The Plaza in Las Vegas will hold a wing eating contest on July 4 awarding $1,000 and a spot in its Wing Bowl on February 7, 2026 to the winner.
Topanga Social in Los Angeles will hold a beignet eating contest on June 28 awarding $1,000 to the winner. Raina Huang is expected to compete.
2025 Hershey Park Nathan’s qualifier
Fox 43 has a news video
Local21News has a gallery
| 1st | 26.5 | George Chiger | |
| 2nd | 20 | Josh “The Goat” Krady | |
| 3rd | 12 | Kyle Tuck | |
| 4th | 10.5 | Andrew Garibaldi | |
| 5th | 8 | Nick Esarco |
| 1st | 8.5 | Camille O’Brien | |
| 2nd | 8 | Christine McDowell | |
| 3rd | 7.5 | Krista Murray | |
| 4th | 6 | Vivian Lau | |
| 5th | 4.875 | Janelle Girardi |
George Chiger (26.75) and Camille O’Brien won today’s Nathan’s qualifier at Hershey Park.
2025 BBQ in DC Nathan’s qualifier
| 1st | 48 | James Webb | |
| 2nd | 33 | Gideon Oji | |
| 3rd | 32 | Adrian “The Rabbit” Morgan | |
| 4th | 15 | Steven Farlow | |
| 5th | 14.5 | Crazy Legs Conti | |
| 6th | 10 | John Damms | |
| 7th | 7 | Adam Berenbak |
| 1st | 8 | Laura Beitel | |
| 2nd | 6.1 | Kathryn Knaus | |
| 3rd | 5.33 | Ana Alejandrina Cajiga-Pena | |
| 4th | 4.5 | Megan Healy | |
| 5th | 2.5 | Prudence DiBenedetto |
James Webb is doing a livestream of today’s Nathan’s Famous qualifier in Washington, DC
The American Polish Festival will hold a pierogi eating contest in Sterling Heights, MI tomorrow awarding $500 to the winner.
Joey Chestnut ate 40 chicken tenders in 5 minutes to defeat two teams of four celebrities at Fanatics Fest in New York City today.
James Webb announced that he will compete in the Nathan's qualifier at the Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle in Washington, DC on Saturday.
Sixpoint Brewery in Brooklyn will hold a hot dog eating contest on July 4 awarding tickets to the July 6 Yankees vs. Mets game.
Hildebrant's in Williston Park, NY will hold a burger eating contest on July 4 awarding $1000 to the winner.
Joey Chestnut to return to Nathan’s
update TMZ has an interview with Joey. He hopes to hit 80 hot dogs.
Joey Chestnut announced that he will be returning to Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest after missing the 2024 competition due to a sponsorship dispute. With two qualifiers remaining on Saturday, this makes the current field for the 2025 contest:
Champion Byes:
Joey Chestnut, Pat Bertoletti
Miki Sudo, Michelle Lesco
Qualifier Winners
| 2025 May 10 | 1st | 43 | Geoffrey Esper | Bristol, CT |
| 2025 Jun 5 | 1st | 47.5 | Nick Wehry | Parma, OH |
| 2025 Jun 7 | 1st | 29.5 | Radim Dvoracek | Shawnee, KS |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 1st | 33.5 | Derek Hendrickson | Pleasanton, CA |
| 2025 May 10 | 1st | 12 | Larell Marie “The Real Deal” Mele | Bristol, CT |
| 2025 Jun 5 | 1st | 10.5 | Kelly Lewis | Parma, OH |
| 2025 Jun 7 | 1st | 11.25 | Jocelyn Young | Shawnee, KS |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 1st | 23.5 | Domenica “Dee Street Eats” Dee | Pleasanton, CA |
There have been three or four wild card entrants the past two years, but the number has yet to be officially announced. Here are the wild card leaders:
| 2025 Jun 5 | 2nd | 37 | Max Stanford | Parma, OH |
| 2025 Jun 5 | 3rd | 29.5 | Darrien “Cheesecurd” Thomas | Parma, OH |
| 2025 Jun 7 | 2nd | 25 | Cameron Meade | Shawnee, KS |
| 2025 May 10 | 2nd | 23 | Jerome Burns | Bristol, CT |
| 2025 Jun 5 | 4th | 17.5 | Greg Sines | Parma, OH |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 2nd | 16 | Tandra Childress | Pleasanton, CA |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 3rd | 15 | Katie Prettyman | Pleasanton, CA |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 4th | 11.5 | Isabeau Pearl Prettyman | Pleasanton, CA |
| 2025 Jun 5 | 2nd | 8.5 | Cherish “Five Pounds” Brown | Parma, OH |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 5th | 8.5 | Elizabeth “Glizzy Lizzie” Salgado | Pleasanton, CA |
Non American competitors have also received international byes the previous two years.
Port Angeles, WA will hold a hot dog eating contest on July 4 awarding $1000/$500/$100 to the top 3. Entrants are encouraged to submit a video of themselves eating hot dogs.
Robert McGee won the first prize of $500 in yesterday's pork roll eating contest at Jersey Roll in Seaside Heights, NJ. update app.com has a gallery
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