The highly anticipated Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, a revered Fourth of July tradition, commenced on Friday morning, July 4, 2025, in Coney Island, Brooklyn. This year's competition, held at Surf and Stillwell avenues, drew a significant crowd eager to witness the culinary showdowns.

A major storyline for the 2025 event was the return of legendary competitive eater Joey Chestnut. After a notable absence from the 2024 contest due to a partnership with Impossible Foods, a rival plant-based hot dog company, Chestnut was back to reclaim his title. He previously held the record with an astounding 76 hot dogs and buns, set in 2021, and had been a 16-time champion. The crowd roared with chants of "Joey, Joey, Joey!" as he made his entrance, signaling the immense support for his comeback bid. Chestnut expressed his fierce determination to win back the Mustard Yellow Belt from defending champion Patrick Bertoletti, who secured his first victory in 2024 in Chestnut's absence by consuming 58 hot dogs and buns.

On the women's side, Miki Sudo continued her dominance, securing her 11th win at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. The 39-year-old from Tampa, Florida, consumed 33 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. While this was 18 behind her personal world record of 51 hot dogs and buns, which she set in 2024, Sudo expressed satisfaction, stating, "It's OK, a win's a win, thank you for the support." She faced stiff competition during the initial half of the contest from Michelle Lesco, who finished second with 22.75 hot dogs and buns, and Domenica Dee, who placed third with 21.5. Miki Sudo's husband, Nick Wehry, was also slated to compete in the men's division.

The contest featured a total of 15 men and 13 women competing for the coveted Mustard Yellow Belt and a $10,000 cash prize. The women's field began at 11 a.m. EST, followed by the men's competition at 12:30 p.m. EST. The rules of this long-standing tradition, which dates back to 1916 at Nathan's flagship Coney Island location, are strict: competitors have 10 minutes to eat as many hot dogs and buns as possible. Utensils and condiments are prohibited, but water and other non-alcoholic beverages are allowed. Both the hot dog and the bun must be fully swallowed to count. Competitors are permitted to break up hot dogs, separate them from buns, and dunk buns in a beverage for a maximum of five seconds. Any competitor who throws up is immediately disqualified.