In the 21st and final time that the billionaire businessman auctioned a private meal to benefit a San Francisco charity, a wealthy person bid a record $19 million to eat lunch with Warren Buffett.
The winning price at the eBay auction, which closed on Friday, was significantly more than the previous high of $4.57 million given by cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun in 2019.
Glide, a nonprofit in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district that serves the destitute, homeless, and those struggling with substance abuse, will benefit from the proceeds. Meals, lodging, HIV and hepatitis C testing, job training, and children’s activities are all available through Glide.
The winner of this year’s competition elected to remain nameless. According to an eBay spokesman, the lunch was the most expensive item ever sold to benefit charity on the company’s website.
Buffett, the 91-year-old chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc, generated $53.2 million for Glide over the course of 21 auctions that began in 2000.
Buffett stated in a statement, “It’s been nothing but good.” “I’ve met a lot of fascinating folks from different parts of the world. One thing they all have in common is that they believe the money will be put to good use.”
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, no auctions were held in 2020 or 2021.
After his first wife, Susan, introduced him to Glide, where she had been helping, Buffett became a supporter.
Susan Buffett died in 2004 after a long illness.
Buffett has stated that he will give away nearly all of his wealth. According to Forbes magazine, Buffett was valued at $93.4 billion on Friday, ranking eighth in the world.
Buffett will host the auction winner and up to seven friends at the Smith & Wollensky steakhouse in Manhattan.
Buffett will talk about practically anything except where he plans to put his money next.
Berkshire owns a slew of businesses, including the BNSF railroad, Geico car insurance, energy, manufacturing, and retail enterprises, as well as stocks like Apple Inc and Bank of America Corp.
Despite donating more than half of his shares since 2006, including $4 billion on June 14, Buffett still owns approximately 16 percent of the Omaha, Nebraska-based company.
These bidders, according to Glide have won its auctions:
2000: Pete Budlong, $25,000
2001: Jim Halperin and Scott Tilson, $20,000
2002: Jim Halperin and Scott Tilson, $25,000
2003: David Einhorn, Greenlight Capital, $250,100
2004: Jason Choo, Singapore, $202,100
2005: Anonymous, $351,100
2006: Yongping Duan, California, $620,100
2007: Mohnish Pabrai, Guy Spier, Harina Kapoor, $650,100
2008: Zhao Danyang, Pure Heart Asset Management, China, $2,110,100
2009: Courtenay Wolfe, Salida Capital, Canada, $1,680,300
2010: Ted Weschler*, $2,626,311
2011: Ted Weschler*, $2,626,411
2012: Anonymous, $3,456,789
2013: Anonymous, $1,000,100
2014: Andy Chua, Singapore, $2,166,766
2015: Zhu Ye, Dalian Zeus Entertainment Co, China,$2,345,678
2016: Anonymous, $3,456,789
2017: Anonymous, $2,679,001
2018: Anonymous, $3,300,100
2019: Justin Sun, $4,567,888
2020-2021: No auctions held
2022: Anonymous, $19,000,100
