Main Website: kitkat.love@randasmarket
KitKat on 16th Street. Photo: Randa's Market
Press Room, Randa's Market, San Francisco

KitKat2016 to 2025. One year later.

The Mayor of 16th Street. Six years outside Randa's Market, mourned around the world. Media kit for the one year anniversary.

Anniversary Oct 27, 2026 3131 16th St, Mission District Interviews available on site by appointment
The story

One cat. One street. One year.

He slept in a KitKat delivery box, greeted every customer, and walked 16th Street like he owned it.

A neighbor gave the brown tabby to Randa's Market in 2019 to handle a mouse problem. He handled it, then took over the block. Regulars planned their walks around him. Bars down the street knew him by name.

On the night of October 27, 2025, KitKat died after being struck by a Waymo robotaxi pulling away from the curb outside the store. A memorial went up on the sidewalk before morning. Three days later Waymo confirmed its vehicle had struck him, offered condolences, and said it would donate to a local animal welfare group in his memory.

The story went around the world. A city supervisor introduced a resolution. The neighborhood kept bringing flowers. A year on, the store has a new cat in the window, and the memorial is still there.

KitKat arrives at Randa's Market and names himself after the box he sleeps in.

Dies after being struck by a Waymo outside the store, around 11:40 pm. The memorial appears overnight.

Waymo confirms the incident, offers condolences and pledges a donation in his memory.

Supervisor Jackie Fielder introduces a resolution for county level votes on autonomous vehicles.

Mike Zeidan adopts Shadow from the SPCA. He takes KitKat's spot on the counter.

One year. Fresh flowers at the memorial. Shadow in the window.

Press release

The official release

Issued October 20, 2026. Copy the full text with one click.

For immediate release

One Year After Losing KitKat, the Mission's Corner Store Has a New Cat Behind the Glass

October 27 marks one year since the death of the cat known as the Mayor of 16th Street

SAN FRANCISCO, October 2026. One year ago this month, KitKat, the nine year old tabby who had greeted customers at Randa's Market for six years and was known across the Mission District as the Mayor of 16th Street, died after being struck by a Waymo robotaxi pulling away from the curb on 16th Street. Tuesday, October 27 marks the anniversary.

KitKat's death drew coverage around the world and started a public conversation about how driverless cars operate on city streets. Waymo confirmed three days later that one of its vehicles had struck KitKat as it pulled away from a passenger pickup, offered condolences to the store and the neighborhood, and said it would make a donation to a local animal welfare group in KitKat's memory.

A new cat behind the glass

The store is not without a cat. In February, owner Mike Zeidan adopted Shadow, a young black shorthair, from the SPCA.

"He's adapted pretty well. He seems very happy and very friendly with the customers," Zeidan said in February.

Shadow has taken over several of KitKat's old habits, including a favorite spot on top of the glass counter and a claim on every empty box in the shop. "He has some of KitKat's traits," Zeidan said. "He loves boxes. Anytime I open a box, he wants to go and jump in it."

There is one difference. Shadow goes out sometimes, but he is mostly an indoor cat. "He loves to sit on the window and just watch the outside," Zeidan said.

Why it still matters

In the weeks after KitKat's death, District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder introduced a resolution urging California to let voters decide at the county level how autonomous vehicles operate in their communities. KitKat's story has since become part of a wider public discussion about how self driving vehicles and the people who share streets with them can keep small animals safe.

About Randa's Market

Randa's Market is a corner store on 16th Street in San Francisco's Mission District, owned by Mike Zeidan. KitKat lived there for six years, until October 27, 2025.

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The cats

Then and now

KitKat sitting on the 16th Street sidewalk, black and white
2016 to 2025

KitKat

Brown tabby, male. Lived at Randa's Market for six years. Named for the KitKat delivery box he slept in. Known as the Mayor of 16th Street. Visited the bars down the block and greeted customers on the sidewalk.

Shadow, a black cat, sitting on the glass counter at Randa's Market
Feb 2026 to now

Shadow

Young black domestic shorthair, male, adopted from the SPCA in February 2026. Sleeps on KitKat's old spot on the glass counter and climbs into every open box. Goes out sometimes, but he is mostly an indoor cat and spends most days in the front window.

In the headlines

Around the world

A selection of the 2025 coverage, for background.

SF StandardOct 28, 2025Beloved Mission bodega cat struck by Waymo KTVUOct 30, 2025Bodega cat struck and killed by Waymo, store owner says KRON4Oct 30, 2025Waymo pledges donation after corner store cat struck NewsweekOct 31, 2025KitKat and the self driving car debate KQEDNov 4, 2025Supervisor calls for robotaxi reform after KitKat AxiosNov 4, 2025Cat's death sparks call for local robotaxi oversight ABC7Nov 4, 2025Supervisor calls for new robotaxi rules NBC Bay AreaNov 4, 2025Supervisor calls for change in self driving car rules Scripps NewsNov 4, 2025Beloved bodega cat and a Waymo, nationwide Rolling StoneNov 5, 2025A robotaxi and a beloved bodega cat The HillNov 2025SF leaders call for new checks on Waymo TechCrunchNov 16, 2025Cat's death fuels Waymo criticism The New ArabNov 17, 2025Justice for KitKat And more2025CNN, TMZ, Mashable, The Guardian, SFGATE, SF Chronicle, New York Post, Washington Post, Business Insider, People, The Independent, New York Times
Fact sheet

Get it right

Store
Randa's Market, 3131 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94103. Instagram @randasmarket. Main Website kitkat.love
Owner
Mike Zeidan
Family contact
Daniel Zeidan, Mike's son
KitKat
Brown tabby, male, born 2016, age 9 at death. At the store 2019 to 2025.
Date of death
Monday, October 27, 2025, about 11:40 pm
Cause
Struck by a Waymo robotaxi pulling away from the curb outside the store. Waymo confirmed on October 30, 2025.
Waymo statement
Confirmed the incident, offered condolences, pledged a donation to a local animal welfare group in KitKat's memory.
Memorial
On the sidewalk outside the store. Still maintained by neighbors.
Resolution
Introduced Nov 4, 2025 by District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder, urging state level change to allow county votes on autonomous vehicles.
Shadow
Black domestic shorthair, male, adopted from the SPCA, February 2026. Mostly indoors; goes out sometimes.
Anniversary
Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Spelling and style

  • KitKat, one word, capital K twice. Male.
  • Randa's Market, with the apostrophe. A corner store.
  • Zeidan: Z-E-I-D-A-N. Mike is the owner. Daniel is his son.
  • Shadow: male. Mostly indoors, not strictly.
  • The Mission or Mission District. 16th Street, with the numeral.

Wording

"Died after being struck by," not "killed by."

It matches every statement the family has made. The family is not making claims about Waymo beyond what the company has confirmed publicly.

Photos and video

Press assets

Free for editorial use with credit. Request full resolution files from the contact below.

KitKat on 16th Street
Photo, black and white. Credit: Randa's Market
KitKat at the counter
Photo. Credit: Randa's Market
Shadow on the counter
Photo, 2026. Credit: Randa's Market
Mike Zeidan at the memorial
Photo, October 2026. Credit: Randa's Market
The memorial tree
Photo, October 2026. Credit: Randa's Market
The Mayor of 16th Street poster
Photo of the framed print in store. Credit: Randa's Market

Usage

  • Editorial use in coverage of KitKat, Shadow or Randa's Market.
  • Credit "Randa's Market" on each image.
  • Do not crop the memorial or the storefront out of exterior shots.
  • Video may be cut for length. No added music that changes the tone.

Filming at the store

Crews are welcome. The storefront, the memorial and the cat in the window are in one shot from the sidewalk. Mornings are quietest. Let the press contact know the day before so Mike can be there.

Press

Talk to the family

Press inquiries
Emailrememberkitkat16@gmail.com
Store3131 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94103
Main Websitekitkat.love
Instagram@randasmarket
InterviewsAvailable on site by appointment

Same day replies during anniversary week. Email to book an in person or on camera interview at the store.

Who can speak

Mike Zeidan, owner. KitKat's owner for six years. The cat, the store, the neighborhood, the year since.

Daniel Zeidan, Mike's son. Handles arrangements and can also be interviewed.