The McDonald’s Gold Card is a coveted reward granted to select individuals, allowing them to enjoy complimentary food for life at the fast-food giant. As it happens, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett are in possession of this card, but their cards are actually a little different .
With Bill Gates‘ Gold Card, he can have free meals without paying any charges in any part of the world where McDonald’s has an outlet. Therefore, it adds to the value of his card, as he can have his meal from McDonald’s restaurants wherever he goes.
Warren Buffett’s Gold Card is, however, limited to Omaha, Nebraska alone. Humorously, he replied that whereas the Card of Gates had no limitations of place, his was equally as good since he seldom, if ever, left Omaha. Buffett has talked about how he loves McDonald‘s and loved their meals quite a lot, but he doesn’t go using his Gold Card often.
The Gold Card from McDonald’s is more than a meal card; it is a badge of exclusivity and privilege. The actual preconditions for getting one remain shrouded in mystery, but the benefits definitely are not: Holders get free meals, preferred seating, and even personal service at some restaurants. For Gates, this means he can indulge in his favorite McDonald’s meals anywhere in the world.
In a lighter interview back in 2007, Warren proved his McDonald’s Gold Card was a bit more, well, local: “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 chuckled.
He joked that was why his family often had Christmas dinner at their local McDonald’s. While Gates can enjoy McDonald’s anywhere in the world, Buffett’s card keeps him close to home. “I never leave Omaha, so mine is just as good as his,” Buffett said with a smile.
Other celebrities and business moguls also have rumors milling about owning such cards; each seemingly customized to fit the holder’s lifestyle.
Interestingly, McDonald’s leveraged the allure of the Gold Card for some PR magic in 2022 by offering a select few non-billionaires a chance to feel like owners of a McGold Card.
For many, every meal in McDonald’s is a point in time-a nostalgic, perhaps happy moment. In this context, the holders of Gold Card, like Gates and Buffett, embody that connection.
Buffett has publicly professed his love for McDonald’s countless times, and he’s often seen munching on their food-even if he doesn’t always use his Gold Card. His affection for the brand resonates with the millions of fans that have grown up on Happy Meals and late-night fries. However, it is not only billionaires who have had a taste of the Gold Card.
Other names said to possess variants of this ultra-exclusive card include Mitt Romney, the former presidential candidate, and actor Rob Lowe. Each of their experiences involves something different, further showing how the card could really carve out a niche for itself with whatever relation the holder has with the franchise.
Meanwhile, it seems Gates still is proclaiming his love for McDonald’s. In a blog post, he referred to cheeseburgers as his “favorite food.” There’s something sort of.refreshing about the world’s seventh richest person finding joy in something as simple as a fast-food standard. No matter how much money he makes, the humble joy of a cheeseburger is a extravagance he can afford-for free.
The McDonald’s Gold Card is, after all, a very ordinary piecing of plastic with a whole array of stories and connections. It offers billionaires like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett a Nostalgic touch and Privilege. But for its most avid fiscal followers, it is a dream-a chance to have Big Mac comfort without bills ever.
