How many hot dogs has Joey Chestnut eaten? Total career hot dogs consumed since 2005

Joey Chestnut's aptitude for eating has made him a fixture in the American sports lexicon, particularly during midsummer.

That's when Chestnut, the 40-something with an iron stomach, becomes an icon. Chestnut has taken center stage at Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest for more than two decades. Based on his recent exploits, he doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon, either.

Chestnut has a litany of trophies, belts and gemstones in his collection. His reign of terror at Coney Island is especially noteworthy, though; few champions have been as dominant on a sport's biggest stage.

So, what are the numbers behind Chestnut's eating excellency? Is he really the world's greatest eater? The Sporting News wades through the numbers to figure it out.

MORE: Why was Joey Chestnut banned from 2024 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest? 

How many hot dogs has Joey Chestnut eaten?

Chestnut has crammed down his fair share of franks. In fact, since 2005 — his Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest debut — Chestnut has ingested 1,289.5 hot dogs in the competition, nearly 700 more than any other participant in the same span.

Maybe Chestnut has a titanium stomach. Or perhaps he's more gut than man. Regardless, Chestnut's hot dog eating exploits are world-renowned. The 1,289.5-glick mark represents the lower extreme of Chestnut's dietary habits. Ostensibly, he's had to consume thousands of hot dogs in preparation for the annual contest. So, it's hard to get a gauge on just how many meat-filled half-smokes Chestnut has put down.

Using his official metrics as a guide, though, we can determine that Chestnut has tallied about 386,850 calories in hot dogs (and buns) in the contest — each hot dog contains about 170 calories, while hot dog buns include an additional 130 calories.

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Joey Chestnut hot dog stats

Here's a closer look at Chestnut's hot-dog eating prowess, laid out in the numbers:

• 8,704.1: Each competition dog from Nathan's measures at 6.75 inches. Chestnut has consumed 1,289.5 franks (and counting) in his glittering career. That equates to 8,704.1 inches worth of hot dog meat that has made its way down Chestnut's system in the annual contest. That's 725.3 feet or 241.8 yards worth of meat consumption — harrowing figures.
• 159.2: Each Nathan's hot dog weighs 56 grams. That means Chestnut has downed 72,212 grams worth of hot dogs since 2005 — equivalent to about 159.2 pounds of meat.

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Joey Chestnut hot dog eating record

In the context of Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, Chestnut's best showing was in 2021, when he downed 76 devices (and their accompanying doughy vessels). Unsurprisingly, that mark landed him a No. 14 championship belt in the competition.

Chestnut did surpass that mark on one occasion. However, it happened in an unofficial contest — in 2024, Chestnut bested longtime rival Takeru Kobayashi in an unofficial competition that aired on Netflix. Chestnut racked up 83 hot dogs consumed before bowing out, a new record. Unfortunately for Chestnut, organizers revealed the match was less of an official bout and more of a catchweight duel.

MORE: Full list of Joey Chestnut's competitive eating world records

Joey Chestnut's first hot dog eating contest

Chestnut first took part in the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2005. The then-21-year old put forth a solid showing in his debut, placing third behind Kobayashi and Sonya Thomas. He was already making waves in the competitive eating scene beforehand; Chestnut claimed a deep-fried asparagus-eating title over star eater Rich LeFevre before going on to set a world record after devouring 32.5 grilled cheese sandwiches in 10 minutes at the Arizona State Far.

In 2007, Chestnut took home his first mustard belt after downing 66 wieners. He would hold onto that heirloom for another seven seasons, only being displaced in 2015 when Matt Stonie put down 62 hot dogs to Chestnut's 60.

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Joey Chestnut hot dogs eaten by year

Here's a look at Chestnut's showings in Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest since his debut back in 2005. He did not participate in 2024 due to a sponsorship conflict with Major League Eating, but returned in 2025.