California Uber riders may want to double-check the backseat before ending their next Uber trip.
The rideshare company has released its new 2026 Lost & Found Index that places two California metros among the nation’s most forgetful cities, with San Francisco ranking No. 4 and Los Angeles coming in at No. 5 on the company’s annual list.
The report, which marks the 10th anniversary of Uber’s Lost & Found Index, offers a snapshot of the items riders most frequently leave behind, along with some truly bizarre discoveries encountered over the past year.
While phones continued to top the list of forgotten belongings, Uber reported that more than 1 million devices were reported lost.
Wallets, luggage, keys, headphones, clothing, passports, glasses, jewelry and laptops rounded out the 10 most commonly forgotten items.
The company’s ranking of the most forgetful cities placed New York at No. 1, followed by Miami and Chicago.
This year’s report also highlighted some of the strangest items abandoned in vehicles.
Among the bizarre items left behind:
- A 75-gallon fish tank
- Dentures with just two teeth
- Breast milk
- Human hair
- An ankle monitor
- A live fish
- A mannequin
- Two trees
- A dishwasher
- A wizard wand
- Handcuffs
- Two wedding gowns
- Pelvis implants
- 20 pounds of duck sausage
- A package of live butterflies
Other unusual items included a Donny Osmond group picture, a sack of marbles, an oxygen tank, a brand-new mini fridge, a single red-bottom Louboutin heel and $200 worth of Temu purchases.
Uber said the report serves as a decade-long time capsule of changing cultural trends.
In previous years, riders commonly left behind vaccine cards and face masks, while newer trends have included Ozempic and Labubus.
The company identified several notable lost-item trends in 2026.
Labubu collectibles were among the most frequently forgotten novelty items.
Crocs regularly appeared on the lost-and-found list, while wellness-related items such as peptides, sea moss products and protein powder also showed up.
Drivers also reported a surge in forgotten dental items, including dentures, icy veneers and sparkly gold grills.
Baseball caps, trucker hats and beanies were frequently left behind, along with vaping devices and flower arrangements.
Uber identified July 17 as the single most forgetful day of the year, while Sundays generated the highest volume of lost-item reports overall.
The company also found that certain items were more likely to be forgotten on specific days.
IDs and wallets peaked on Mondays, headphones on Tuesdays, chargers on Wednesdays, bags on Thursdays, keys on Fridays, phones on Saturdays and glasses on Sundays.
To help riders recover missing belongings, Uber is rolling out an upgraded lost-item return system.
The feature is already available in California, along with Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, DC, Georgia, Minnesota and Massachusetts.
Users can report a missing item through the Uber app, receive notification if a driver locates it and request a dedicated return trip directly through the platform.
Riders can track the return and use a PIN to confirm delivery. Uber said the feature is expected to expand nationwide by the end of the year.
Looking back over the past decade, the company found that tourism-heavy destinations consistently rank among the most forgetful places, while major celebrations such as St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween and New Year’s Eve remain among the holidays most associated with lost belongings.
Shutterstock / mentatdgt
One trend has remained remarkably consistent: the devices people depend on most are often the ones they forget.
According to Uber, iPhones and AirPods have repeatedly topped lost-item reports over the last 10 years.