At 96 years old, billionaire investor Warren Buffett has shared his unusual eating and drinking habits, revealing that he hasn't had water in 48 years. Instead, he prefers to drink Cherry Coke and other sugary treats. Buffett's daily diet consists of fast food, including hamburgers, hot dogs, McDonald's breakfasts, French fries, and ice cream. His love for sugary drinks and fast food has been well-documented over the years.
Buffett recently revealed his drinking habits to fellow billionaire investor Bill Ackman during a dinner conversation. Ackman had invited Buffett to his home for dinner and had stocked up on Cherry Coke, knowing Buffett's preference. However, when Ackman offered Buffett a choice between still and sparkling water, Buffett declined both options. When asked if he drank water at all, Buffett replied that he hadn't had water in 48 years.
Buffett's fondness for sugary drinks is not a new phenomenon. In his 1985 Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letter, dated March 4, 1986, Buffett announced that he was switching to Cherry Coke after 48 years of loyalty to another soft drink. He added that Cherry Coke would henceforth become the official drink of Berkshire Hathaway's annual meeting. The "another soft drink" mentioned in the letter is assumed to be Pepsi.
Buffett's love for Coca-Cola and Cherry Coke is well-documented. In a 2015 interview with Fortune, he revealed that he consumed at least five 12-ounce servings of Coca-Cola daily. He explained that if he consumed 2,700 calories a day, approximately 25% came from the drink. Buffett typically drank three Cokes during the day and two at night, preferring regular Coke at his office and Cherry Coke at home.
Buffett's unusual eating habits extend to his food choices. He has described his eating preferences as similar to those of a six-year-old, with hamburgers, hot dogs, ice cream, and fries among his favourites. Some of his reported food preferences include McDonald's, which he is known to stop at for breakfast on his way to work. Hotel chefs have even prepared hamburgers and fries for him during his trips.
While Buffett's unusual diet may be entertaining to some, it could give a medical doctor or nutritionist quite a headache, particularly considering his age. His reported consumption of five Coca-Cola servings daily alone would amount to approximately 195g of sugar if he drank regular Coke. That is almost five times the World Health Organisation's recommended upper limit of 50g of free sugars daily for someone consuming 2,000 calories.
At 96, Buffett's reported eating habits raise interesting questions about nutrition and ageing. Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett's company, is one of Coca-Cola's biggest shareholders, with an investment of approximately $1.3 billion in 1988. The investment was valued at approximately $28 billion at the end of December 2025. Buffett's unusual habits have sparked curiosity about his health and wellbeing.
Key points
- Warren Buffett, 96, hasn't drunk water in 48 years and prefers Cherry Coke and other sugary treats.
- Buffett's daily diet consists of fast food, including hamburgers, hot dogs, McDonald's breakfasts, French fries, and ice cream.
- Buffett's company, Berkshire Hathaway, is one of Coca-Cola's biggest shareholders, with an investment of approximately $1.3 billion in 1988.
