Annual contest has no crowds but LOTS of hotdogs

Traditional hot dog eating contest moves forward in spite of coronavirus

NEW YORK, N.Y. (KYMA, KECY) - A Fourth of July tradition took on a different look in the wake of the pandemic, but forged forward nonetheless for an 84th straight year.

Once again this year the competitors in the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest brought their appetites to Brooklyn, but they had to leave their fans behind. This year's battle of the bulging bellies was held indoors and broadcast on TV without an audience.

Some familiar names prevailed in spite of the unusual setting. No one could challenge six-time winner Miki Sudo for the women's belt. Sudo munched almost three times more hot dogs than her nearest competitor. She actually set a new record by downing 48 dogs.

Another returning champion was top dog on the men's side of the competition. Joey Chestnut has 46 competitive eating titles under his belt, and he didn't disappoint. He not only won, but chowed down on his competition. Chestnut downed 75 hot dogs in just 10-minutes, breaking the all-time record. This is the thirteenth time he's won this contest.