Author: Bri Talmadge
1. The hot dog eating contest is a tale as old as…1916. Picture this: four immigrants at Nathan's hot dog stand in Coney Island on July 4, each with a burning desire to prove their patriotism. How did they come to settle this debate? Obviously, with a hotdog eating contest. To this day, no one knows who scarfed down victory that day!
2. In 2003, NFL (National Football League) legend William "The Refrigerator" Perry stepped up to the plate at the world-famous hot dog contest. He aced the qualifiers, devouring 12 hot, but when the game day arrived, after just four hot dogs in five minutes, he threw in the mustard-covered towel.
3. Ever wonder how the pros turn hot dog eating so fast? Pro eaters have a secret playbook for slamming down the most hot dogs. They've got a top-secret move: the infamous "dunking" technique. Just imagine hot dog buns dipped in the water, getting squeezed dry like they survived a spin cycle, and disappearing faster than socks in a dryer. You could say the hot dog eating contest is a mixture of culinary magic meeting laundry day, except no clean clothes, just clean plates.
4. The Major League Eating (MLE) has strict contest rules that competitors must follow. Condiments are allowed but are a decoration, as competitors do not use them. Penalty cards are on standby for any misconduct, including the dreaded regurgitation offense and messy eating. But here is a twist: partially eaten hot dogs? They still count! Even if you're still chewing as the final buzzer sounds.
MLE hosts more than just the hot dog eating contest. Imagine eating as many hard-boiled eggs, shrimp cocktails or fudge as you can.
5. Winners of the hot dog-eating championship don't mess around. They're like mustard on a bun; they stick to their record-breaking ways. The reigning champion, Joey Chestnut, inhaled 76 hot dogs like a light snack in 2021, keeping his world record intact. Meanwhile, three-time women's champ Sonya "The Black Widow," Thomas casually skips practice like a boss.
Chestnut won’t be participating in the Coney Island contest this year due to his partnership with Impossible Foods, which has led him to be considered a competitor of Nathan’s; he will be competing against soldiers in Fort Bliss in a hot dog eating contest. In the five-minute contest, as opposed to ten minutes, four Army soldiers will have to eat more than Chestnut to win the contest.
6. The victor of Nathan's hot dog eating contest receives $10,000 but also struts away with a bejeweled mustard yellow belt. And for the ladies, a dazzling pink bejeweled belt. If that doesn't mustard up your enthusiasm for the contest, relish the thought of what will.
Photo: Unsplash
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