March 28, 2024

For $2.63 Million, a Lunch With Buffett

A steak lunch at Smith Wollensky in Manhattan starts at $36.50. The same lunch, eaten in the company of billionaire investor Warren E. Buffett, costs about $2.63 million.

That was the final result of the annual online charity auction for lunch with the “Oracle of Omaha,” which ended late Friday. A total of two bidders entered eight bids in the eBay auction, which started last Sunday.

The final bid was actually for just under $2.35 million, but the anonymous winner added to that after the auction to surpass last year’s winning bid by $111, organizers said.

Interest was much lower than in 2010, when nine bidders made a total of 77 bids.

The proceeds benefit GLIDE, a San Francisco charity that Mr. Buffett was introduced to by his late first wife, Susan.

Mr. Buffett, 80, is the chief executive of the insurance-to-ice-cream conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway and one of the world’s richest men.

Article source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=ab78fcb5143275aa34888e333101d834