📺 Stream EntrepreneurTV for Free 📺

Someone Just Paid a Record $4.6 Million to Eat Lunch With Warren Buffett An anonymous bidder won Warren Buffet's annual charity auction lunch with a record bid of $4.6 million.

By Arjun Reddy

entrepreneur daily

This story originally appeared on Business Insider

Dave Weaver/AP via BI

Bidding for the 20th annual charity auction for a "Power Lunch with Warren Buffett," has ended, with an anonymous winner taking the prize with a final bid of $4,567,888.

The lunch is presented by eBay and the Glide Foundation and will be held at the famed steakhouse Smith & Wollensky in New York City.

The auction was hosted exclusively on eBay, with final bids due Friday, May 31, at 7:30 p.m. PT. Past winners include David Einhorn of Greenlight Capital and Ted Weschler, now part of Buffett's investment team.

As in previous years, 100 percent of the proceeds donated to the Glide Foundation, a San Francisco-based charity which provides local services to the homeless. The foundation is associated with the Memorial United Methodist Church and was founded over fifty years ago by Rev. Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani.

The annual lunch, which started in 2000, has raised over $30 million for the non-profit. Buffett's late wife, Susan Thompson Buffett,was a well-known resident and philanthropist in San Francisco.

Per the bidding website, GLIDE is described as "a radically inclusive, just and loving community mobilized to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty and marginalization.

"Glide's mission is to break the cycles of multi-generational dependency, poverty, and low self-worth by providing a spiritual home of unconditional love. Glide strives to create a healthy community by offering effective services that foster holistic healing in an environment of cultural integrity and diversity."

Similar to Berkshire Hathaway's stock price, the cost of a winning bid has risen substantially over the years. In 2000, the winning bid was $25,000 while the 2019's winning bid of $4.6 million, an increase of 187 times. In the same time period, Berkshire Hathaway's stock price has risen a mere 5.5 times.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Growing a Business

Navigating Crucial Business Decisions — How to Know When to Pivot and When to Persevere

Here are ten key strategies for navigating the decision of whether to pivot or persevere in your business.

Business Solutions

Get Microsoft Office Pro 2019 and Windows 11 Pro for Only $50 Through May 5

Ditch those expensive monthly or annual fees and enjoy a lifetime of using the top MS Office Pro programs plus Windows 11 Pro for a single low payment.

Diversity

Why Women's Entrepreneurship is Booming Right Now

Women's entrepreneurship has taken some substantial leaps forward in the last few years.

Business News

These 4 Words Make It Obvious You Used AI to Write a Paper, According to New Research

Scientists are increasingly using ChatGPT and other AI bots to write studies.

Leadership

Top Career Motivations of Gen Z and Reasons They Choose an Employer

By understanding Gen Z's career motivations and aligning with the reasons they select an employer, companies can create workplaces that inspire and retain Gen Z talent.