Major League Eating Institutes ‘Mustard Yellow Card’ Rule After Nashville Krystal Square Off Qualifier

New Mustard Yellow Card rule means competitive eaters will have to be mindful of the mess their making or risk disqualification.

Yesterday’s Nashville Krystal Square Off V Qualifier, and the controversy surrounding excessive debris from several eaters, including the winner Juliet Lee, has led to the creation of a new rule by Major League Eating that will allow judges to disqualify competitors for “messy eating” during a contest after an initial warning is given.

As detailed at IFOCE.com:

Major League Eating announces today the creation of a new rule called the Mustard Yellow Card. The rule allows league officials and judges to formally caution a competitor if the official or judge feels said competitor is eating in a fashion that is so messy it impedes the ability to determine the amount of food consumed.

After one caution is given the judge has the right to disqualify the warned competitor if the competitor has not satisfactorily corrected his or her eating style.

While no formal definition need be given, messy eating can include food and debris on a competitor and in a competitor’s eating area and cups.

The Mustard Yellow Card rule could have a major impact at this year’s biggest event, the Krystal Square Off V World Hamburger Eating Championship in Chattanooga, Tenn. on Sept. 28. Top competitive eaters from around the world, including Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi, will battle for a share of a $50,000 cash prize purse, the largest in the sport’s history, and with the winner alone taking home $20,000, the new rule could prove extremely costly to eaters who fail to abide by proper competitive eating etiquette.