Billionaire Warren Buffett Has a ‘McGold Card’ That Gives Him Free Food for Life — ‘So That’s Why the Buffett Family Has Christmas Dinner at McDonald’s’

Billionaire Warren Buffett Has a ‘McGold Card’ That Gives Him Free Food for Life — ‘So That’s Why the Buffett Family Has Christmas Dinner at McDonald’s’ Billionaire Warren Buffett Has a ‘McGold Card’ That Gives Him Free Food for Life — ‘So That’s Why the Buffett Family Has Christmas Dinner at McDonald’s’ Jeannine Mancini Thu, July 16, 2026 at 4:00 AM GMT+2 6 min read Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Most people collect loyalty points. Billionaire Berkshire Hathaway Chair Warren Buffett carries something far rarer: a card that lets him eat free at McDonald's for life.

During a 2007 interview with CNBC , Buffett pulled the legendary McGold Card from his wallet and joked about one of his favorite perks. "Here we have my McDonald's card which lets me eat free at any McDonald's in Omaha for the rest of my life," he said. "So that's why the Buffett family has Christmas dinner at McDonald's.

It explains a lot of things. " Don't Miss: Warren Buffett once said, "If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die. " Here's how you can earn passive income with just $100.

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Shares Still at $0. 79 — Learn How to Invest Before the Deadline Buffett added that only "a few" people have the coveted card. One of them is longtime friend Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates , whose version works at McDonald's restaurants around the world.

Buffett laughed that his Omaha-only card was "just as good" because "I never leave Omaha. " The Golden Ticket That Money Can't Buy Unlike a gift card, the McGold Card isn't something customers can purchase. Its roots trace back to McDonald's founder Ray Kroc , who informally handed out lifetime "Be Our Guest" cards to friends, business associates and a handful of notable figures.

Over the years, recipients have reportedly included Gates, actor Rob Lowe , late television host Regis Philbin and former Michigan Gov. George Romney , whose son, former presidential candidate Mitt Romney , once described his father's pink card that covered a hamburger, fries and a shake every day for life. The exact terms have varied, but one thing hasn't: the cards have remained extraordinarily rare.

Trending: Most Budgeting Apps Track Your Spending. This One Helps You Act On It. That changed briefly in 2022, when McDonald's brought the legend to the public through its " SZN of Sharing " promotion.

Three winners received McGold Cards for themselves and three friends, with each card covering the equivalent of two free meals a week for up to 50 years. It wasn't quite Buffett's lifetime pass, but it gave everyday fans a chance to experience a perk that had long been reserved for insiders. Finding Value Before Everyone Else The McGold Card has always represented exclusivity—something most people only hear about after someone else already has it.

Story Continues Investing often works the same way. Amazon began as an online bookstore. Apple was once a small computer company.

Nvidia spent years making graphics chips before artificial intelligence turned it into one of the world's most valuable companies. By the time many businesses become household names, much of their explosive growth has already happened. That's one reason some investors have begun paying closer attention to private companies before they ever reach the public markets.

Mode Mobile is one example. The company has built its EarnPhone and EarnOS platform around a simple idea: turning everyday smartphone activity—listening to music, reading news, charging a device and playing games—into rewards for users. Rather than simply using the platform, eligible investors can also explore owning a piece of the business while it's still private.

See Also: Wall Street Traders Pay Thousands For Market Data. This Platform Gives Everyday Investors Access To Advanced Tools. The comparison isn't that Mode Mobile is the next McDonald's.

It's that both stories start with an ordinary idea that solves a simple problem in a way people keep coming back to. Buffett's Real Lesson Buffett has built a career around recognizing durable businesses before much of Wall Street fully appreciated their staying power. His McGold Card may be one of investing's most entertaining perks, but it also serves as a reminder that the biggest rewards often go to people who recognize lasting value early.

Whether it's a free burger, an online bookstore or a company trying to change how people use their smartphones, today's curiosity can become tomorrow's household name. The trick, as Buffett has shown throughout his career, is noticing the opportunity before everyone else does. Read Next: Retirees With $1M+ In Savings Are Rethinking Their Tax Strategy — Here's Why Some Are Turning To Specialized Advisors Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend.

Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That's why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn't tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.

Arrived Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100 . This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.

FarmTogether Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors, FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U. S.

farmland starting at $15,000 — fully managed, with no landlord headaches. Immersed Immersed is building technology for the future of work through spatial computing. Known for its AR/VR productivity platform that enables users to work across multiple virtual screens, the company has grown to more than 1.

5 million users worldwide. Immersed is also developing Visor, a lightweight headset designed specifically for professional productivity, positioning the company at the intersection of remote work, extended reality (XR), and next-generation computing. Fundrise Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio.

Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth. Realberry Institutional-quality real estate has traditionally been difficult for individual investors to access. Realberry gives accredited investors direct access to private real estate opportunities backed by a team with 35 years of experience, $3.

4 billion in assets under management, and $481 million in cumulative distributions paid to investors as of Q4 2025, according to the company. With a portfolio spanning 13 million square feet across seven U. S.

states, Realberry focuses on acquiring, developing, and managing real estate with an emphasis on long-term value creation while its principals often invest alongside clients to help align interests. Mode Mobile Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day. Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices.

Named one of Deloitte's fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream.   EquityMultiple   For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000 , with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process. Image: Shutterstock This article Billionaire Warren Buffett Has a 'McGold Card' That Gives Him Free Food for Life — 'So That's Why the Buffett Family Has Christmas Dinner at McDonald's' originally appeared on Benzinga.

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