Bill Gates Owns 275,000 Acres Of Farmland Which Grows Potatoes For McDonald's Fries – And He Eats Them Free Thanks To His Rare McGold Card

Bill Gates isn't just a tech billionaire or a global philanthropist – he's also one of the biggest farmland owners in the United States. With 275,000 acres spread across 18 states, Gates has quietly built an agricultural empire that includes everything from soybeans in Nebraska to carrots in Florida. However, perhaps the most interesting connection from his massive landholdings is this: some of the potatoes grown on his farms end up as McDonald's french fries. And, as if that weren't ironic enough, Gates also owns a McDonald's Gold Card, which means he can eat those fries for free.

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Yes, the man who revolutionized personal computing has a hand in the french fries you're dunking in ketchup. One of his most prominent properties, 100 Circle Farms in Washington State, grows the spuds that supply McDonald's. While not every fry at the Golden Arches comes from Gates-owned land, his connection to the fast-food giant is undeniable. It's a full-circle story: Gates invests in farmland, some of that farmland grows potatoes and those potatoes may end up on McDonald's trays – where Gates can walk in, Gold Card in hand and order a free meal. 

The McGold Card is a rarity, given only to a select few. Gates joins a small club of recipients that includes Warren Buffett and actor Rob Lowe. It's essentially a lifetime pass for free McDonald's food, a perk that's more amusing than practical for someone whose net worth sits comfortably north of $100 billion. Unlike Buffett's, which is limited just to his hometown of Omaha, Gates' is good worldwide. 

Gates insists his farmland investments are purely financial, explaining in a Reddit AMA that they're not connected to climate initiatives or grand strategy. Farmland is a stable and appreciating asset, especially in a world where feeding a growing population is becoming more critical by the year. Yet, the sheer scale of his holdings has raised eyebrows. Critics worry about billionaires driving up land prices and edging out smaller, younger farmers. Nearly 40% of U.S. farmland is owned by people over 65, making the sector ripe for generational turnover, but that transition isn't so straightforward when billionaires are in the mix.

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For Gates, though, it's business as usual. His land holdings are managed by professional investment firms overseeing many crops beyond potatoes, including soybeans, corn, cotton and onions. His 14,500-acre potato farm in Washington, big enough to be seen from space, is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. And while his farms might be producing some of the nation's food staples, they also tie into his broader philanthropic goals. Revenue from his farmland portfolio helps fund initiatives through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, including global health programs.

The intersection of Gates' wealth, farmland ownership and fast food is unexpected and strangely fitting. It's not every day that a billionaire with a McDonald's Gold Card also happens to own the land where some of the fries are grown. Whether you see it as a clever investment strategy or just a coincidence, it reminds you of how deeply interconnected the modern world is – even down to the fries on your tray.

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