A mystery bidder paid just over $9 million to win the annual Warren Buffett charity lunch auction, securing a meal with the Berkshire Hathaway chairman on June 24 in Omaha. The winner will also dine alongside Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry and his wife Ayesha, with space for up to seven additional guests.

The winning bid represents a sharp drop from 2022's record-setting $19 million auction, reflecting both Buffett's advancing age at 95 and potentially reduced enthusiasm for the event. Buffett stepped down as Berkshire CEO in December, though he remains chairman of the conglomerate he built over decades.

Proceeds benefit Glide, a San Francisco charity supporting the homeless that was championed by Buffett's late first wife Susie, who died in 2004. The auction has raised over $50 million total for the organization throughout its 22-year history. Buffett acknowledged his physical limitations at 92, saying "the spirit remained eager but the flesh became progressively weaker."

The lunch continues to draw wealthy bidders seeking access to one of investing's most legendary figures, even as the price correction suggests the market for Buffett's time may be cooling alongside his reduced public profile.