Lost & Found Index 2026: The chilly bins, burgers, pool cues and everyday essentials Kiwis left in Ubers this past year
From chilly bins and pool cues to pot plants and unfinished burgers, Kiwi riders have once again proven almost anything can be forgotten in the back seat of an Uber.
Now in its ninth year, Uber’s Lost and Found Index captures the items Kiwis accidentally left behind during trips across Aotearoa over the past year. It offers a surprisingly relatable glimpse into life on the move, from rushed mornings and late nights to the things Kiwis carry with them, until they don’t.
While phones, backpacks and wallets continued to top the list of commonly forgotten essentials, this year’s lost property box had a few mystery items rattling around at the bottom. Among the rarer finds were chilly bins, pool cues, burgers, a vacuum cleaner, bike, false teeth, tent, and an All Blacks jersey.
Some items are practical. Others raise more questions than answers.
Late nights, early flights and forgotten belongings
According to Uber’s data, 11.00pm was the most forgetful hour of the day for Kiwi riders, followed closely by 5.00am and 1.00am - proving late nights, early starts (or late night finishes) are prime times for forgotten belongings.
Phones were officially New Zealand’s most forgotten items, with Saturdays recording the highest number of lost phones across the year. Sundays weren’t far behind, while Friday, Wednesday, and Monday tied for third place.
It seems late-night trips, busy weekends and distracted dashes out of the car are a common recipe for forgotten items.
And the most forgetful day?
One date stood out above the rest: Saturday, 25 April.
It seems ANZAC Day proved unexpectedly forgetful, with early starts, dawn services, catch-ups and long weekend plans creating plenty of opportunities for essentials to be left behind.
Auckland and Blenheim crowned the most forgetful cities
By sheer volume, Auckland once again claimed the title of New Zealand’s most forgetful city overall, while Christchurch and Wellington followed close behind. Apparently, between the traffic, busy calendars and weekend plans, remembering everything before getting out of the car proved easier said than done.
Amongst the new regional towns Uber launched last year, Blenheim stole the crown for most forgetful on a per-trip basis, with roughly one item lost for every 25 rides. Whangārei and Invercargill rounded out the top three, proving that forgetfulness is not just a big-city habit.
The New Zealand 2026 Uber Lost & Found Index
Most *unique* and interesting items for NZ:
- Pool cues
- Plant
- Unfinished burgers
- Chilly bins
- Vacuum cleaner
- Number plate
- Go-Pro
- Bike
- Scooter
- Drone
- Rug
- False teeth
- Apron
- Tent
- Golf clubs
- Gaming console
- All Blacks jersey
Top 10 most forgotten items:
- Phones/cameras
- Backpacks/luggage
- Wallets/purses
- Keys
- Vape/e-cig
- Headphones/speaker
- Clothing
- Glasses
- Passport
- Water bottle
Most common hours of the day to lose items:
- 11:00pm
- 5:00am
- 1:00am
Top 3 forgetful cities in Aotearoa (by total lost items):
- Auckland
- Christchurch
- Wellington
Top 3 forgetful cities in Aotearoa (by lost item/trip rate):
- Blenheim
- Whangārei
- Invercargill
How to retrieve lost items:
Thousands of items are left behind in rides with Uber each day, but if you lost your item with Uber you’re in luck, because you can easily contact your driver to try to get your item returned. The best way to retrieve an item you may have left in a vehicle is to call the driver. Use this help page and these instructions:
- Open the Uber app and tap “Activity” on the bottom icon menu.
- Select the trip on which you lost the item.
- Scroll down to "Find lost item" in the Help section, and then "Contact driver about a lost item."
- Choose to either enter your phone number, or let Uber's support team connect with the driver on your behalf.
- If your driver picks up and confirms that your item has been found, coordinate a mutually convenient time and place to meet for its return to you.
- If your driver doesn’t pick up, leave a detailed voicemail describing your item and the best way to contact you, or get in touch with Uber support where an agent may assist you.
- And remember to be considerate, the driver's schedule will be affected by taking time to return your item to you.
- Forgot your registered phone? Sign in to help.uber.com for support.