Florida Man Wins Key Lime Pie Eating Championship

A Florida man has successfully claimed the title at the World Famous Key Lime Pie Eating Championship, employing a unique strategy to overcome a major obstacle: the whipped cream. Kevin Renly, a resident of the Florida Keys, won the Fourth of July competition in Key West by consuming a 9-inch Key lime pie topped with whipped cream in 59.6 seconds, and he did it all without using his hands.

In this contest, participants are required to eat the pies without the use of their hands. Items such as goggles and dive masks are permitted to aid them. Renly improved upon previous years’ results, as he had been a runner-up in 2024 and 2025. He dedicated time to improving his method for this year’s event. “You didn’t have to eat the cream,” Renly explained to Fox News Digital. “So, I thought, ‘How am I going to get rid of the cream real fast?’ I realized I could use my shirt to remove the whipped cream from the pie.”

“I take my shirt off and dive into it, pull up and the whipped cream is on my chest.”

After dealing with the topping, Renly flipped the pie, finding the crust to be the most challenging aspect. It was notoriously dry. He decided that flipping the pie upside down would be the best approach for managing it.

The competition is part of the Key Lime Festival, a five-day event in Key West, offering a tropical version of Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. Hundreds of onlookers watched as 25 competitors dove face-first into pies covered with whipped cream.

Renly, who co-owns Southernmost Bees with his wife, Julie, humorously remarked that the third attempt was successful for him. His victory was also significant because the contest took place on his wedding anniversary. Reflecting on his past second-place finishes, he expressed that he didn’t want to return home with yet another loss.

Moreover, Renly hoped to keep the trophy local. “I was sitting there thinking, ‘Wait a minute. All these people come [from] out of town and they take this trophy home,'” Renly commented. “This trophy needs to stay here locally, so some locals have got to keep it here.” He achieved his goal by finishing the pie in 59.6 seconds, securing the championship belt.

Key lime pie, Florida’s official pie since 2006, is distinctively created with Key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks, with a graham cracker crust and topped with whipped cream or meringue.

With a win under his belt, Renly aims for another achievement. “No one’s ever repeated for a win,” he stated. “Now I’ve got a new goal — to be the first repeat.”

Peter Burke serves as a lifestyle editor for Fox News Digital, focusing on various lifestyle topics including food and drink.