The Wild Things People Lost In Ubers Will Make You Feel Better About Your Missing Phone

If you're anything like me, you've left something in an Uber before. Whether it's your phone, wallet, or an unopened burrito (RIP), there's nothing worse than the sinking feeling that arises when you realize a stranger's car just drove off with your stuff. But Uber's 2019 Lost & Found Index will make you feel a lot better knowing you're not alone in leaving things behind in Ubers — especially because a lot of the things people leave behind are, well, way more ridiculous than a phone.

On Tuesday, March 5, Uber released its 2019 Lost & Found Index, featuring a list of the 50 most outrageous items riders have lost. And while of course everyone lost the normal stuff — phones, wallets, keys — some people forgot some really weird things with their Uber drivers. Let's go through some items on the list, shall we? Over the last year, riders reported losing a lot of food-related items, including: six chicken tenders from 7-Eleven; a whole tray of eggs; two packs of Italian sausage; a Thanksgiving ham; a McDonald's large fries; Red Lobster takeout; 10 lbs of pulled pork and 10 lbs of pulled chicken; and "Two pieces of my ever-so-special white wedding cake."

People also left behind particularly sentimental items: one rider reported leaving a "White gold wedding band with diamonds" and another forgot a prom picture that featured the rider with their husband. Uber also reported a handful of lost items that will make you say "umm, what?" like a single lost Gucci flip flop, a full fish tank with fish and water, a shopping cart, and a salmon head (?!?!).

But the number one most outrageous lost item of them all was a lost 8-week old coffee-colored Chihuahua. You might have recently left your keys in an Uber but hey, at least you didn't leave your new puppy.

The 2019 Lost & Found Index also included a list of most commonly forgotten items, which I'm sure you can guess if you've been an Uber rider yourself. The list included all the basics: phone, wallet, keys, headphones, glasses, camera, and purse, to name some.

But the data got really interesting when Uber analyzed which lost items peak on certain days. According to the Lost & Found Index, people are most likely to forget headphones on Tuesdays, forget phones on Saturdays, and forget, of all things, cakes on Sundays. Overall, Uber riders are most forgetful on the weekends and late at night, between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. Last year, the most forgetful days were January 1, 2018 and October 29, 2018 - New Years Day and pre-Halloween, because hangovers and excitement are usually conduits for forgetfulness.

Uber's higher ups seem to have a sense of humor about the whole thing, which is clearly necessary given the variety of things left behind. "Over the last year we have seen millions of people across the world ride with Uber, which means a variety of items get left behind," Uber's Lost Items Lead Dan Brubaker said in an emailed statement to Elite Daily. "While lost phones, wallets, and keys come as no surprise, we were delighted to help return some of the quirkier objects - like a handmade cat puppet and a Lego championship wrestling belt - that reflect the uniqueness of our riders."

In addition to Uber's 50 Most Outrageous Lost Items, 10 Most Commonly Forgotten Items, and Most Forgetful Days lists, the company shared data about the most forgetful cities in the country. Since I initially expected bigger cities like Los Angeles, New York, or Atlanta to top the forgetful cities list, I was surprised to find locations like East Alabama, Gallup, New Mexico, and Cookeville, Tennessee topped the 10 Most "Forgetful” Cities list. They were joined by Tallahassee, Florida in tenth place, College Station, Texas in ninth, and Boone, North Carolina, a town of just 20,000, in fifth place.

So next time you leave behind your headphones or keys, know that it's super easy to contact Uber about a lost item and remember — it could always be much, much worse.