Joey Chestnut won't participate 2024 Nathan's hot dog eating contest due to 'beef over vegan franks'

In stunning news Tuesday, Joey Chestnut will not participate in the 2024 Nathan’s hot dog eating contest, according to the New York Post.

“Joey Chestnut, perennial winner of the annual July 4th Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Competition, is out of this year’s beef barf over a deal he made to represent a different wiener brand, The Post has learned,” Steve Cuozzo wrote.

“And not just any brand, but Impossible Foods, which recently launched a vegan frankfurter impostor made from plants.”

The additional reasoning for this decision is hard to swallow, no pun intended. Well, pun intended. This is Chestnut we’re talking about.

“A rep for Major League Eating (MLE), which Nathan’s sanctions to run the event, said the organizers bent over backwards to meet Chestnut’s various other demands,” Cuozzo wrote. “They even agreed to let him participate in a rival Labor Day dog-eating fest  to be taped by Netflix as long as no hot dog brand was mentioned. But they said they drew the line on letting Chestnut pitch for a different dog.”

Chestnut won the Nathan’s hot dog eating contest a record 16 times, including every year since 2016. He holds the world record of 76 hot dogs at the competition and won the 2023 event with 62.

Chestnut was reportedly paid $200,000 for the competition appearance last year and was offered a four-year, $1.2 million deal moving forward.

“We are devastated to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs rather than competing in the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest,” a statement from Major League Eating said. “MLE and Nathan’s went to great lengths to accommodate Joey and his management team, agreeing to the appearance fee and allowing Joey to compete in a rival, unbranded hot dog eating contest on Labor Day.

“For nearly two decades we have worked under the same basic hot dog exclusivity provisions. However, it seems that Joey and his managers have prioritized a new partnership with a different brand over our long-time relationship. Joey Chestnut is an American hero. We would love nothing more than to have him at the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest.  We hope he returns when he is not representing a rival brand.”