"I tell my wife, as I shave in the morning, I say, 'Either $2.61, $2.95 or $3.17.' And she puts that amount in the little cup by me here [in the car]," he explains in HBO's documentary, "Becoming Warren Buffett," which debuted Monday.
Each amount corresponds with a different option at McDonald's.
"When I'm not feeling quite so prosperous, I might go with the $2.61, which is two sausage patties, and then I put them together and pour myself a Coke," he tells director Peter Kunhardt in the documentary.
"$3.17 is a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit, but the market's down this morning, so I'll pass up the $3.17 and go with the $2.95."
Buffett proceeds to order a sausage, egg and cheese and pay using exact change.