A look inside Uber's Manhattan office, where employees have wine on tap and can bring their dogs to work

Uber NYC Office 26
Hollis Johnson

While a whopping 50 million people have taken more than 2 billion Uber rides in 425 cities around the world since the company was founded in 2009, very few know what goes on behind the scenes at the $66 billion firm based in San Francisco.

Advertisement

Uber, a network and app that connects riders with nearby drivers, employs 8,000 people (not including drivers, who are contractors). About 230 of those employees are based in Uber's Manhattan office, which we recently visited to get a clearer picture of what the culture is really like.

Here's what we saw and learned:

Advertisement

When we arrived at the West 28th Street office in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood, we found the building largely covered in scaffolding. Walking inside, we didn't know what to expect. Uber's Manhattan office is in an old freight warehouse and former nightclub. Sections of the brick building — now called Chelsea Terminal Stores — date back to 1891.

Uber NYC Office 29
Hollis Johnson

We were greeted by someone on the Uber communications team, who said Uber moved into the building in 2014. She also pointed out repurposed decorative elements from the building's warehouse days, like this old metal door.

Uber NYC Office 27
Hollis Johnson
Advertisement

Our tour guide took us up to the third floor of the building, where Uber occupies a 54,000-square-foot space. The Manhattan branch is a mixed office, incorporating teams such as engineering, communications, IT, HR, business development, and operations and logistics for the New York metro area.

Uber NYC Office 24
Hollis Johnson

Source: Uber

We arrived around 9:30 a.m. on a Wednesday, just as the team's weekly all-hands meeting was wrapping up. Every week, the entire office gathers to eat breakfast together and listen to presentations.

Uber NYC Office 12
Hollis Johnson
Advertisement

We caught the tail end of New York General Manager Josh Mohrer's weekly Q&A session, during which he answers questions submitted by employees.

Uber NYC Office 13
Hollis Johnson

Mohrer's sassy dog, Winston, had a lot to say during the meeting. Uber's Manhattan office is dog-friendly. However, on the day we visited, he was the only pup in the office.

Uber NYC Office 15
Hollis Johnson
Advertisement

Mohrer and Winston decided to join us on our tour.

Uber NYC Office 16
Hollis Johnson

Our next stop was the gym. Employees can blow off steam by working out during work hours for free. We visited in the morning, before most people were ready to hit the punching bag, ellipticals, treadmills, and Peloton bikes.

Uber NYC Office 8
Hollis Johnson
Advertisement

Employees receive a monthly Uber credit, and some use the app to commute, but others prefer to cycle to work. The walls of the office are fixed with plenty of bike racks made from the building's original white ceiling tiles.

Uber NYC Office 4
Hollis Johnson

Since the office is massive, employees sometimes use scooters and skateboards to get around.

Uber NYC Office 25
Hollis Johnson
Advertisement

Next, we swung by the kitchen, where free catered lunch is served every day. There's something for everyone. Options always include two salads, two sandwiches, two proteins, two side dishes, one carb, and a full salad bar.

Uber NYC Office 7
Hollis Johnson
Advertisement

The office also features kegs of beer, iced coffee, and a seasonal rotation of wines. This often leads to impromptu happy hours in the evening. "At six o'clock, you can go in here and hang out," the spokesperson said. "It's a really nice community vibe."

Uber NYC Office 18
Hollis Johnson

Employees can also socialize — and show off their competitive edges — by joining in the officewide table tennis tournament.

Uber NYC Office 17
Hollis Johnson
Advertisement

The spokesperson says Uber's open office layout reflects the nonhierarchical nature of the company. "I really like how everyone's out and about, connecting with each other," they said. "There really aren't many individual offices."

Uber NYC Office 22
Hollis Johnson

Toward the end of our tour, we met unofficial branch mascot "Ubear," who was sitting in one of the common spaces listening to the music playing overhead. Uber employees take turns serving as office DJ.

Uber NYC Office 6
Hollis Johnson
Advertisement

Depending on who has control of the music, you might hear anything from top-40 hits to rap to retro jazz on any given day. The spokesperson told us that the music can really change the entire mood of the office.

Uber NYC Office 3
Hollis Johnson

However, if anyone needs to snag a quiet moment, they can slip into a break room or one of these futuristic booths.

Uber NYC Office 11
Hollis Johnson
Advertisement

The spokesperson told us that all the perks are meant to reward hard work and foster a sense of community in the workplace, rather than simply exist for their own sake.

Uber NYC Office 9
Hollis Johnson

Before we left, we made sure to check out one final perk: Uber's beautiful view of the Hudson River.

Uber NYC Office 14
Hollis Johnson

Can't get enough of Uber's New York office? Check out the Snapchat story of our tour »

Uber
Advertisement
Close icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification.