Erin Elizabeth
Not many people can claim the title of “greatest eater in history.” However, if you are a fan of competitive eating, you probably know that Joey Chestnut holds that title.
Joey Chestnut is an American competitive eater who holds dozens of records, ranging from hot dog competitions to donut contests. Chestnut also has the number one spot in the Major League Eating rankings.
If you like to watch Joey Chestnut’s competitions, you may be wondering what his net worth is.
How Much is Joey Chestnut Worth?
Joey Chestnut has an estimated net worth of $2 million.
He has spent his career in the competitive eating industry, and he has earned a lot of money from prizes and sponsorships.
Chestnut currently has a contract with Hoffman’s, a hot dog company, and he earns $100,000 a year from the company.
Chestnut also owns shares in Hoffman’s as part of his contract deal.
Chestnut also holds sponsorships and earns revenue from his YouTube and social media.
Joey Chestnut Career Highlights
Joey Chestnut was born in Vallejo, California, and attended San Jose State University for his undergraduate degree.
While Chestnut was a student at San Jose State, he began to show an aptitude for competitive eating.
In 2005, he won his first eating contest and broke the contest’s current record. He ate 6.3 pounds of deep-fried asparagus in just 11.5 minutes.
A few months later, Joey Chestnut competed in his first hot dog competition at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, and it became clear that he was a rising star in the competitive eating world. He ate 32 hot dogs and buns, coming in third after Takeru Kobayashi and Sonya Thomas.
At the Arizona state fair in 2005, Chestnut competed against his rival Sonya Thomas in a Waffle House eating contest, and he was finally able to defeat her. He ate 56 Krystal Burgers in 8 minutes.
Joey Chestnut’s career took a downward turn in 2006 when he lost Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating contest to Takeru Kobayashi a second time. Kobayashi also defeated Chestnut in the Johnsonville World Bratwurst Eating Championship.
Joey Chestnut had a lot more to prove, and in 2007, he showed the world he was a significant competitor in the eating field. In 2007, Joey Chestnut won Wing Bowl XV, and he ate a record-breaking 182 chicken wings in 30 minutes.
In 2008, Joey Chestnut broke several more records, including the Wing Bowl XVI, The Big Texan Steak Ranch, and the Famous Famiglia World Pizza Eating Championship.
Joey Chestnut finally won Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2007, and he continued to hold that title for 14 non-consecutive years. He recently set a new record for the contest in 2021, and in 10 minutes, he ate 76 hot dogs and buns.
Final Thoughts
Joey Chestnut is most famous for his hot dog eating records and has over 50 records for different food competitions.
Joey Chestnut has won around $600,000 in prize money from his contests, but he also runs a YouTube channel that brings in an income and has many sponsorships. In total, his net worth is about $2 million.
Check out other popular food channels on YouTube after visiting Joey’s page!
Learn more about eating competitions, the food & restaurant industry, and more here on Restaurant Clicks! You may be surprised to learn that competitive eaters can earn almost as much as celebrity chefs like Paula Deen.
