Warren Buffett turns 95 years previous right this moment (Aug. 30). The billionaire investor’s weight-reduction plan, nevertheless, has by no means fairly grown up. His devotion for Coca-Cola is well-known, as is his fondness for ice cream, sweet and hamburgers. Buffett has by no means tried to cover it. “I discovered all the things I wish to eat by the point I used to be six,” he informed CNBC in a 2023 interview. “I imply, why ought to I idiot round with all these different meals?”
The Berkshire Hathaway chairman has constructed one of many world’s largest fortunes. However on the subject of meals, he retains it easy. Whereas different billionaires would possibly have fun a milestone birthday with a lavish meal, Buffett is extra prone to be discovered at McDonald’s or a neighborhood Omaha steakhouse.
Right here’s a take a look at a few of the Oracle of Omaha’s favourite orders:
Gorat’s Steak Home
Buffett is such a loyal buyer of Gorat’s Steak Home in Omaha, Neb. that the restaurant has develop into a vacationer attraction. Every Might, throughout Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder assembly, Buffett followers flood Gorat’s, producing as a lot as one to 2 months of gross sales in just some days.
The menu ranges from $12 onion rings to a $99 lobster dinner. However most guests follow Buffett’s go-to: a uncommon T-bone steak with a double aspect of hash browns, a cherry Coke and, often, a root beer float.
Smith & Wollensky
Steak, hash browns and a cherry Coke can be Buffett’s commonplace order at Smith & Wollenksy, the New York steakhouse that hosted his annual “Energy Lunch” auctions between 2000 and 2022. Proceeds benefited the Glide Basis, a San Francisco nonprofit. Whereas winners paid simply over $25,000 within the early years, bids usually topped $1 million after 2008. The ultimate lunch set a report at $19 million.
A few of these meals fell on Buffett’s birthday. In 2018, the restaurant marked his 88th with a Coca-Cola-themed cake. A 12 months earlier, Smith & Wollensky had baked a dessert adorned with a few of his favourite treats.
Piccolo Pete’s
Not each charity lunch befell at Smith & Wollensky. When visitors wished a quieter setting, Buffett typically selected Omaha’s Piccolo Pete’s, an Italian steakhouse that closed in 2016. His go-to meals there have been veal with lemon, rooster parmesan or, after all, steak.
It was at Piccolo Pete’s the place hedge fund supervisor Ted Weschler dined with Buffett in 2010 and 2011 after bidding $5.2 million throughout two auctions. The lunches in the end led to Weschler becoming a member of Berkshire Hathaway as an funding supervisor.
McDonald’s
Most mornings, Buffett swings by a McDonald’s drive-through on his option to work. His order rotates amongst three selections: two sausage patties for $2.61; a sausage, egg and cheese biscuit for $2.95; or a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit for $3.17. (Costs have been as of 2017.)
Within the 2017 documentary Changing into Warren Buffett, he revealed that his spouse, Astrid Menks, locations precise change in his automotive cup holder for whichever choice he chooses. Buffett stated he splurges primarily based on the inventory market’s temper: “Once I’m not feeling fairly so affluent,” he defined, he opts for the most affordable $2.61 meal.
Dairy Queen
Buffett additionally has a particular connection to Dairy Queen. Berkshire Hathaway acquired the chain in 1998 for $585 million, and Buffett has been a loyal buyer ever since. He typically visits Omaha places together with his great-grandchildren and usually orders vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate syrup and malted milk powder.
His loyalty has even led to uncommon moments. In 2014, he tried to order Dairy Queen ice cream at The 4 Seasons earlier than settling for chocolate chip cookies.
Buffett has additionally launched fellow billionaires to the chain. In 2019, he labored a shift there with Microsoft co-founder Invoice Gates. And in 2020, Dallas Mavericks proprietor Mark Cuban shared a photograph of the 2 eating collectively at Dairy Queen—Buffett with a rooster sandwich, Cuban with a Blizzard.
