Plot Synopsis

Each year since 1916 -- except for 1941, 1971, 2020 & 2021 -- Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs has hosted a Fourth-of-July Hot-Dog-Eating Contest at its flagship restaurant on Surf Avenue on Coney Island, NY. (The 2022 Contest took place back in Coney Island, returning to the iconic Nathan's Famous flagship restaurant at the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenues after being forced to alternate locations in 2020 and 2021 by the COVID-19 pandemic.) During this contest, competitors vie to eat the most hot dogs in a set duration of time. If there is a tie, the winning contestants then compete in an eat-off to determine a winner. The first contest, held to determine which of four European immigrants was most patriotic, was won by Irishman James Mullen, who ate 13 hot dogs in 12 minutes. Since then the contest format has changed, dropping from its original 12 minutes to 3-1/2 minutes in the 1970s, increasing to 10 minutes for the 1980s, returning to 12 minutes in 1991, and dropping back down to 10 minutes in 2008. In 2011, the women competed for a separate title for the first time. First televised by ESPN in 2003 on tape delay, ESPN (2004-2011, 2020), ESPN2 (2012, 2013, 2015 & 2017-2019), ESPNews (2014) and ESPN3 (2016) have shown the men's contest live every year since.
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The 2024 NATHAN'S HOT DOG EATING CONTEST is televised live on Thursday, July 4, 2024 by the ESPN family of networks, beginning at 10:45am ET/7:45am PT and continuing through the conclusion of the event at approximately 1pm ET/10am PT. This marks the 21st consecutive year ESPN has televised the event.

The women's competition coverage begins at 10:45am ET/7:45am PT and is telecast live on ESPN3. The men's competition coverage begins at Noon ET/9am PT and is telecast live on ESPN2. Hosting the event are the duo of OUTSIDE THE LINES host Jeremy Schaap and Major League Eating President Rich Shea, with on-site reporter Tiffany Greene.

Top-ranked Female Miki Sudo looks to defend her Mustard Belt during the 10-minute, all-you-can-eat contest, while on the men's side, a new champion will be crowned for the first time since the World's No. 1 Eater Joey Chestnut regained the Mustard Belt from Matt Stonie in 2016. Chestnut, the defending champion, will not be competing in the competition this year. Top male and female international eaters from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Nigeria, South Korea, and more will compete in the contest. Other notable eaters for the competitions include: Geoffrey Esper, Mayoi "Ebimayo" Ebihara, Nick Wehry, Michelle Lesco, James Webb and Patrick Bertoletti, among others. During the competitions, Sudo and Esper will have isolation cameras on them on ESPN3. The Sudo camera will be at 11am ET and the Esper camera at 12:30pm ET.

The men's world record is 76 hot dogs and buns, set by Chestnut in 2021, while on the women's side, Sudo holds the record with a 48-1/2 hot dogs and buns performance in 2020.