Joey Chestnut Gets 180 Days’ Probation for Bar Slap, Cleared to Chase 18th Nathan’s Title
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 20
Joey Chestnut Gets 180 Days’ Probation for Bar Slap, Cleared to Chase 18th Nathan’s Title
9 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 20
Court records show Joey Chestnut was sentenced to 180 days of probation after pleading guilty to misdemeanor battery resulting in bodily injury.
The charge stemmed from a March 21 incident at Joe’s Grill in Hamilton County, Indiana, where police said the 17-time Nathan’s champion drunkenly slapped a man who had approached him.
Chestnut told authorities he was “pretty drunk and didn’t remember” what happened, while his attorney said he took full responsibility and that the confrontation was quickly defused.
The sentence does not block his competitive schedule: a court granted his request to travel outside Indiana, allowing him to compete at Coney Island on July 4.
That keeps Chestnut on track to pursue an 18th Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest title after returning in 2025 from a 2024 absence tied to a sponsorship dispute.
Will a battery conviction affect Joey Chestnut's quest for his 18th title?
Can the hot dog king's public image survive a guilty plea for battery?
What did a fan say to provoke the world's top competitive eater?