Reactions to the rise in popularity of the “sport” of extreme eating generally fall into two categories. If an item is edible, there is probably somebody somewhere eating a whole lot of them in hopes of winning a prize. Other competitions include Ben’s Chilli Bowl’s World Chilli Eating Championship (total cash purse: US$3000), Western Days Festival World Tamale Eating Championship (total cash purse: US$3500) and the Oktoberfest Zinzinnati World Bratwurst-Eating Championship (total cash purse: US$2000). The annual contest at Nathan’s Famous is but one of dozens of events sanctioned by Major League Eating, the franchise behind the professional competitive eating circuit. Mullen had eaten just over one hot dog per minute. Reigning six-time champion Joey Chestnut took Nathan’s coveted Mustard Belt in 2012 by laying waste to a record-tying 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Let’s just say masticating a baker’s dozen of sodium-rich beef tubes isn’t much to brag about anymore. Held annually on July 4, it is considered the top dog of all eating competitions, with US$10 000 going to the champ.ĭo today’s winners eat more than 13 hot dogs? Ah, yeah, a few more. James Mullen, a native of Ireland, claimed the title by downing 13 hot dogs, buns included.

Whoever could eat the most hot dogs in 12 minutes would be declared the most patriotic of the bunch.

The establishment’s owner, Nathan Handwerker, feared fisticuffs might ensue, so he proposed a contest.

The heated discussion took place in 1916 at Nathan’s Famous, a hot dog stand that had recently opened on Coney Island in New York City. It all started, according to legend, as an argument between four immigrants about who loved their adopted homeland the most.

The famous daily dozen exercises