An Arizona family visiting New York City says their trip took a disturbing turn after discovering a razor blade inside a hot dog purchased at the iconic Nathan’s Famous location on Surf Avenue in Coney Island, as reported by The New York Post.
The family’s account, which has since gone viral on social media, prompted an investigation by the New York City Department of Health.
Tourists claims they found blade in Nathan’s Hot Dog on Coney Island: ‘Still in shock’ https://t.co/XxYj47hbTc pic.twitter.com/WNymfmU8Ds
— New York Post Metro (@nypmetro) October 9, 2025
The woman who posted the video, identifying herself only as Abbey, shared the incident on TikTok Tuesday, two days after she and her family visited Nathan’s flagship stand — known worldwide for hosting the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
“I’m still in shock. We found a blade inside the hot dog, and they claimed it didn’t come from them,” Abbey said in her video, which shows a straight razor covered in onions and mustard lying next to the partially eaten hot dog.
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Abbey told AMNY that her husband initially thought he had bitten into a hard onion before realizing the object in his food was a razor blade. “Once he spit it out, we saw the blade and notified the employees,” she said.
According to Abbey, the restaurant manager denied responsibility, claiming that the hot dogs were supplied from another Nathan’s location and suggesting that the blade might have come from the onions.
“He didn’t even say sorry,” Abbey told reporters, adding that the incident left her “bawling [her] eyes out.”
The New York City Department of Health confirmed to The New York Post that it received a 311 complaint related to the incident and has opened an investigation. “The Department is aware of the report and is looking into the matter,” a spokesperson said.
@ahhbee.24 All we wanted was to do a fun food review with the kids. Instead we found a blade inside the hot dog...⚠️ #fyp #nathanshotdogs #coneyisland #nycfood ♬ original sound - 🌷
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Health inspection records show that the Surf Avenue Nathan’s earned an “A” rating during its most recent inspection.
However, the same location accumulated 51 violation points in July 2024, which included citations for rodent activity, unsafe food temperatures, and a lapse in its Food Protection Certificate.
Abbey said her family was grateful no one was seriously injured but remains shaken by what happened. The family has not indicated whether they plan to pursue legal action.
Nathan’s parent company, Smithfield Foods, did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the reported contamination.
If confirmed, the discovery could result in additional inspections or potential violations for the Coney Island establishment, which has been a fixture of New York’s boardwalk dining scene since 1916.
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Smithfield, Nathan’s Famous, Armor, John Morrell and some others are all under the umbrella of Smithfield Foods, a Chinese multinational meat producer. I’m not eating that s**t. I support my local meat producers most often and other than that I only support American companies when I have a choice. MAGA!!