31st October 2026 – (Omaha) Legendary investor Warren Buffett has reportedly gone without a single glass of water since at least the 1970s, according to an anecdote shared by billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman. Speaking on an episode of the Equity Mates Investing podcast this week, the Pershing Square founder and chief executive officer recounted hosting the 96-year-old business titan for dinner at his residence several years ago. Knowing his guest’s renowned preference for Cherry Coke, Ackman ensured his home was well stocked with the fizzy beverage, yet still politely offered Buffett a choice between still or sparkling water once they were seated at the dining table. After Buffett turned down the water in favour of his usual soft drink, Ackman inquired whether he ever drank plain water, prompting the veteran financier to reply that he had not touched water in 48 years. Ackman did not immediately provide further comment regarding Buffett’s hydration routine.
While abstaining from water for nearly five decades may seem extraordinary, the revelation aligns closely with the well-documented dietary habits of Buffett, who stepped down as chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway in December after sixty years at the helm before retiring as chairman in September. The billionaire is famous for consuming five cans of Coca-Cola every day, joking back in 2015 that he was one-quarter Coca-Cola because the beverage supplied 25 per cent of his daily caloric intake. His devotion to fizzy drinks spans generations; at Berkshire Hathaway’s 1986 annual meeting, he announced he was ending 48 years of loyalty to Pepsi to make Cherry Coke both his personal beverage of choice and the official drink of the gathering. That passion also translated into one of his most lucrative financial moves, with Berkshire Hathaway completing a roughly 9 per cent stake in the drinks giant during the mid-1990s for approximately US$1.3 billion—an untouched holding valued at around US$28 billion at the end of December, representing a 21-fold return.
Beyond his affinity for sugary drinks, Buffett maintains a famously childlike palate centred around fast food and confectionery, regularly picking up breakfast from McDonald’s during his morning commute and snacking on hot dogs, chips, popcorn, biscuits, sweets and ice cream. This fondness for comfort food is similarly reflected in Berkshire Hathaway’s portfolio, which includes wholly owned subsidiaries Dairy Queen and See’s Candies alongside a major equity stake in Kraft Heinz. However, his aversion to unfamiliar cuisine has occasionally caused complications abroad, including an notoriously uncomfortable sushi dinner in Tokyo. During a 17-day tour of China in 1995 alongside Bill Gates and his then-wife Melinda, the couple took special precautions to ensure their travelling companion remained well fed, arranging for hotel kitchen staff to be trained in cooking hamburgers and chips, and even organising for cans of Cherry Coke to await Buffett at the top of the Great Wall.