Dining with the living legends of the world is on everyone’s wishlist. Over the years, fans of Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett have aimed to grab the opportunity of lunching with the 91-year-old billionaire. Like most good things, even this opportunity isn’t free though it is admittedly laced with worth for time and money. More than twenty years ago, Warren Buffett’s first wife, Susie, initiated the idea of a charity lunch with her husband with the money going to support GLIDE. This program helps people out of poverty and homelessness. That first lunch, in 2000, went for $25,000.
Since then, many millionaires have grabbed this opportunity to be in the esteemed company of the Oracle of Omaha. According to the Glide Foundation, the endeavor raised more than $34 million. After a two-year hiatus, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, Buffett is gearing for a buffet; only this, he says, will be the final one. The venue is set- New York’s Smith & Wollensky, one of Buffett’s favorite places where he hosted the lunch since the first auction in 2000.
“Warren Buffett’s friendship and generosity over the past 22 years have been invaluable in deepening Glide’s impact on the systems that drive poverty and inequity,” said the organization’s president and CEO, Karen. “His legacy will have a lasting positive impact on Glide and the clients we serve.” In 2019, the lunch date went for a record-breaking $4.6 million to Justin Yuchen Sun, founder of the blockchain platform TRON.
This year’s winner can bring up to seven guests but only after winning the auction that commences on June 12. “With Warren Buffett’s final Power Lunch, we anticipate another record-setting auction with all proceeds supporting Glide—an organization that aligns with our mission and values by empowering people, promoting equality, and creating economic opportunity,” eBay’s CEO, Jamie Iannone, said in a statement shared by Barrons. The “Power of One” auction will run from June 12-17 on eBay and last five days, with bids starting at $25,000.
