Unusual Items Found in Uber Rides
An ankle monitor, a meat slicer, some breast milk, and a package of live butterflies were among the unexpected items left behind in Uber vehicles. These items are part of the rideshare company's annual compilation of bizarre objects forgotten by riders.
The list categorizes the most unique lost items, the most commonly forgotten belongings, the cities with the highest forgetfulness, yearly trends, and more.
Forgetfulness Trends and Rankings
New York City was named America's most forgetful city, while Sunday emerged as the day when riders most frequently leave items behind.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Uber's annual Lost and Found Index. The company used this milestone to review trends observed over the past decade.
"From AirPods becoming an everyday essential, to vaccine cards and face masks taking over in 2021, Ozempic making its way into backseats in 2025, and viral Labubu plushies riding shotgun this year, the Lost & Found Index has become an unexpected time capsule of the past decade," Uber said in its press release.
Market Leadership and Lost Items Volume
Uber remains the most widely used rideshare app in the United States, significantly outperforming competitors such as Lyft. A 2024 analysis by data analytics firm Bloomberg Second Measure reported that Uber holds 76% of the US rideshare market.
This extensive usage results in a high volume of lost items, including over one million phones reported lost in the past year alone.
Unique Lost Items and Trends
Among the "50 most unique lost items" over the past year were vapes and e-cigarettes, LaBuBu dolls, various dental items such as gold grills and veneers, and Croc sandals, which dominated the trends in forgotten belongings.
Uber also shared the most unique items left behind each year since the Lost and Found Index began.
New Lost and Found Reporting Process
In addition, Uber announced it is introducing a new lost and found reporting process within its apps. This updated system is planned to be launched nationwide by the end of the year, aiming to improve the recovery experience for riders.
