Joey ‘Jaws’ Chestnut to Return to Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest After Contract Dispute

Competitive eating legend Joey "Jaws" Chestnut is back! After a one-year hiatus from the famous Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest due to a sponsor dispute, Chestnut announced on Monday that he will return this year to reclaim his crown.

The 20-time participant skipped last year’s event after a contract issue arose with Impossible Foods, the plant-based meat company, with whom he had struck a deal.

The conflict stemmed from his endorsement of Impossible Foods, which makes vegan hot dogs, while Nathan’s is the iconic sponsor of the Coney Island contest.

In a phone interview, Chestnut clarified that he never appeared in any commercials for Impossible Foods' vegan hot dogs, emphasizing that Nathan's is the only hot dog brand he has officially worked with. However, he admitted that he could have communicated this more clearly with Nathan's, the long-time host of the event.

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Despite the past confusion, Chestnut is still partnering with Impossible Foods and confirmed that the necessary “clarifications” have been made to his contracts, so his return to Nathan’s is officially on.

Chestnut, who holds the world record by devouring 76 hot dogs in just 10 minutes, will be aiming to add another victory to his record-breaking career at this year’s contest. It looks like Coney Island’s 4th of July celebration just got even more exciting!