Why Joey Chestnut Was Spotted in Lansing Eating Olive Burgers This Weekend

Lansing Lugnuts fans got a treat at Jackson Field this weekend, and it wasn’t something on the menu.

Competitive eating champion Joey Chestnut made a special appearance on Saturday, drawing a crowd of curious fans and burger enthusiasts alike.

While Chestnut is best known for devouring 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes at the iconic Fourth of July Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, his visit to Lansing celebrated a more local legend: the olive burger.

In 2023, Chestnut set the olive burger eating record by downing 13 burgers in just five minutes, solidifying his status as not only a hot dog king, but a Midwestern food folk hero.

Though he opted not to defend his olive burger title this year, he returned to Jackson Field to cheer on fans and honor the regional favorite. And they celebrated him with a special bobblehead:

When asked where Lansing’s olive burgers rank among the many foods he’s eaten competitively, Chestnut didn’t hesitate to show respect.

“Olive burgers—I think it’s such a local dish that every time I eat them in competition, they’ll do a good job. That makes it in the top half, definitely,” he said.

The Lugnuts themselves also took a crack at an eating challenge of their own, trying to go bun for bun on social media like the legend himself:

While Chestnut’s visit wasn’t about breaking records this time, he’s already got his sights set on his next big feat. With the Fourth of July hot dog contest approaching, the champ is deep in preparation mode, strategizing how to beat his own record of 76 dogs.

Whether you came for the burgers or the baseball, fans in Lansing were treated to an all-American icon—one bite at a time.