Brian Jones

The Business Behind Joey Chestnut Joey Chestnut competes in 20+ events each year and holds 55 world records: • Nathan's hot dogs: 76 dogs & buns in 10 minutes • Hard-boiled eggs: 141 in 8 minutes • Glazed donuts: 55 in 8 minutes • Pulled pork sandwiches: 45 in 10 minutes • Taco Bell softshell beef tacos: 53 in 10 minutes • Krystal hamburgers: 103 in 8 minutes • Twinkies: 121 in 6 minutes • Chicken wings: 413 in 12 hours • Big Mac sandwiches: 32 in 38 minutes • Tamales: 102 in 12 minutes • Grilled cheese sandwiches: 47 in 10 minutes • Ice cream sandwiches: 25.5 in 6 minutes • Pepperoni rolls: 43 in 10 minutes But the prizes at these Major League Eating (MLE) events are small — between $1,000 and $8,500. So Joey Chestnut supplements his contest earnings with paid appearances and endorsement deals. He has worked with companies like Hooters, Hostess, Raising Cane's, Pepsi, and, of course, Pepto Bismol. **Joey Chestnut's first endorsement deal was with Pepto Bismol, who paid him $40,000 to promote and participate in four competitive eating contests in 2010** Chestnut also has his own hot sauce line and does paid appearances at everything from halftime shows at NBA games to charity events for companies like Goldman Sachs. And the result? Chestnut told @USATODAY that he crossed $500,000 in annual income for the first time ever last year — and his net worth is now more than $4 million. Ps. Follow me (@JoePompliano) for more sports business breakdowns!