In Bill and Melinda Gates’ 2017 annual letter addressed to their longtime friend Buffett, Gates shared a story about a lunch they had years ago. “Remember the laugh we had when we traveled together to Hong Kong and decided to get lunch at McDonald’s? You offered to pay, dug into your pocket, and pulled out… coupons! Melinda just found this photo of me and ‘the big spender.’ It reminded us how much you value a good deal,” he wrote.
Notably, Buffett is a regular at McDonald’s. While the billionaire is often asked about the ‘secrets’ behind his long and successful career, one lesser-known detail is how the stock market plays a role in his daily breakfast routine.
During his five-minute drive from home to the Berkshire Hathaway office in Omaha, Buffett makes a stop and lets the market’s mood dictate his breakfast choice.
“One of the good things about this five-minute drive is that there’s a McDonald’s on the way,” he once revealed in a documentary, as cited by Business Insider. He explained how he decides which breakfast sandwich to buy. Every morning, Buffett tells his wife, Astrid, the exact amount of change to place in the center cup holder of his car—typically $2.61, $2.95, or $3.17.
“When I’m not feeling quite so prosperous, I might go with the $2.61,” Buffett said. “That’s two sausage patties, which I put together, and then I pour myself a Coke. $3.17 is a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit. But if the market’s down this morning, I’ll pass on the $3.17 and go with the $2.95.”
After buying his McDonald’s breakfast, Buffett eats it at his desk with a Coke. While prices have likely risen since the documentary was filmed, the logic remains the same.
‘I decided to eat like a six-year-old’
His eating habits are as unconventional as his approach to investing. “I checked the actuarial tables, and the lowest death rate is among six-year-olds, so I decided to eat like a six-year-old,” he once joked. Three Cokes a day, McDonald’s for breakfast, and snacks like potato chips and ice cream are part of his routine—and he’s entirely comfortable with it.
Buffett is widely known for his frugal lifestyle—eating at McDonald’s, driving an older car, and living in a modest Nebraska home. Despite his immense wealth, his habits have remained unchanged. Rather than seeking status through luxury, Buffett has said he finds greater value in simplicity and non-material things.
Five-bedroom home in Omaha
He still lives in the Omaha house he bought for $31,500 in 1958. The five-bedroom home is now worth about $1.3 million, but Buffett says he would never trade it because it holds memories of raising his three children. He also avoids splurging on expensive cars. The legendary investor drives a 2014 Cadillac XTS—complete with hail damage—because, in his words, giving up half a day to shop for a new car isn’t worth it. He even once had a license plate that read “THRIFTY,” a fitting symbol for one of the world’s richest individuals who chooses to live simply.
“I do not think that standard of living equates with cost of living beyond a certain point,” Buffett said at a Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting in 2014. “My life would not be happier—it would be worse if I had six or eight houses or a whole bunch of different things I could have. It just doesn’t correlate.” Whether it’s mansions or sports cars, Buffett avoids major purchases that reflect his wealth, believing they may ultimately detract from his happiness.
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