Billionaire Bill Gates Guessed Grocery Prices On The Ellen DeGeneres Show – He Said Pizza Rolls Were $22, Triple The Real Price

A few years ago, Bill Gates stepped out of his tech-savvy comfort zone and took on an unexpected challenge on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The billionaire, better known for his philanthropy and software innovations than for shopping, was tested in a game that quickly revealed how far removed he is from everyday grocery prices.

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During the 2018 episode, DeGeneres asked Gates to guess the prices of five common everyday grocery items, including boxed rice, detergent pods, dental floss and frozen pizza rolls. If he guesses within a dollar of at least three items, the entire audience will win a prize.

"When was the last time you were at a supermarket?" DeGeneres asked Gates. Smiling, he answered, "A long time ago."

But Gates' initial guesses were wildly off, drawing laughs and gasps from the crowd. When asked how much a box of Rice-A-Roni might cost, Gates confidently said, "Five dollars." The actual price? Just $1. "I'll take 5!" he said upon hearing the price. 

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His guesses continued to be off, including predicting that Totino's Pizza Rolls might set someone back $22 – nearly triple the real price of $8.98.

Here's how Gates fared during the segment:

• Rice-A-Roni

Gates's guess: $5

Correct price: $1

• Tide Pods

Gates's guess: $4, before changing it to $10 after hearing the audience reaction 

Correct price: $19.97

• Dental Floss

Gates's guess: $4

Correct price: $3.78

• Totino's Pizza Rolls

Gates's guess: $22

Correct price: $8.98

• T.G.I. Friday's Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Gates's guess: $10

Correct price: $3.66

From 2018 to 2022, food prices rose sharply, with some of the highest jumps occurring recently. In 2022 alone, grocery prices surged by 10.4%, driven by notable increases in essentials like cereals, dairy and meat products, which saw double-digit percentage gains. This uptick was the largest 12-month increase in food prices since the early 1980s, highlighting how much the cost of everyday items has changed since Gates' guessing game.

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Despite his rough start, Gates adjusted his answers with some audience help, eventually guessing three prices correctly, much to the crowd's delight. The win invited audience members to return for Ellen's popular "Twelve Days of Giveaways" special.

While the grocery price game was all in good fun, it highlighted how disconnected Gates is from everyday consumer experiences. However, outside of these moments, Gates is deeply engaged in tackling global issues like wealth inequality through his work with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which directs billions annually to improve health, education and poverty worldwide.

Gates has also been vocal about his views on wealth and taxation. In an interview, he remarked, "If I designed the tax system, I would be tens of billions of dollars poorer," underlining his support for higher taxes on the wealthy to address disparities.

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