Competitive eating legend Joey Chestnut was given a probation sentence of 180 days following a guilty plea to a battery charge, according to court records. The charge is a misdemeanor.
The first to report on the news was Us Weekly, stating that Chestnut was in Hamilton County, Indiana at Joe’s Grill when he slapped a man while drunk. Slapping the individual in the face, the incident took place Mar. 21 at approximately 2:00 a.m. Indiana is the home state of the 17-time Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest champion. (RELATED: Chiefs’ Rashee Rice Jailed For 30 Days Following Probation Violation; Will Miss OTAs, Minicamp)
It’s alleged that the victim had recognized Chestnut while at the bar, approaching him and exchanging a handshake just before the food icon “slapped him” on his face, specifically on the left side, according to the outlet.
“The accused pulled [the victim] forward, moves closer and uses his right hand to strike [the victim] on the face with an open hand. [The victim] is observed reacting to the strike and moving his head downward and holding it there while the accused stands over him and [his friend],” stated the police officer in an affidavit that was obtained by Us Weekly. “[Chestnut] moves toward [the victim] again and [the victim] moves away from the accused.
Hot dog eating champion Joey Chestnut will be on probation while seeking to defend his crown on the Fourth of July.
Chestnut, 42, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery last month following an altercation at a bar, and he was sentenced to 180 days of probation, according to CBS… pic.twitter.com/ez63aSObmV
— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) May 20, 2026
“The touching was nude, insolent or angry because the open-handed strike was nonconsensual to the victim in a manner that caused pain while the accused allegedly used provocative language toward the victim to illicit a reaction.”
The police officer went on to say that Chestnut‘s smack “resulted in bodily injury to [victim] in that he had a complaint of pain to the left side of his face.”
Stating that he was “pretty drunk and didn’t remember,” Chestnut put in a guilty plea to the charge of battery resulting in bodily injury. Apr. 20 was when he was sentenced.
Things between the two deescalated quickly, with Chestnut taking “full responsibility for this misunderstanding,” according to his attorney while speaking with Us Weekly.
After filing petitions so he could travel away from Indiana, Chestnut was granted permission to travel to Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York to be able to compete in the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, which is set for July 4.