PENTAGON PIZZA INDEX

Posted on by

BAD INDICATORS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waffle_House_Index
https://fastcompany.com/pentagon-pizza-index-signal-global-crises
Pentagon Pizza Index: A spike in Pentagon-area pizza deliveries is a surprising predictor of major geopolitical events and military activity
by Eve Upton-Clark  /  06-16-2025

“A different kind of pie chart is being used to predict global crises. A surge in takeout deliveries to the Pentagon has become a surprisingly accurate predictor of major geopolitical events, dubbed the “Pentagon Pizza Index.” Tracking activity at local pizza joints in Arlington County, the X account Pentagon Pizza Report noted an uptick in Google Maps activity from four pizza places near the Pentagon on June 12. We, The Pizza, District Pizza Palace, Domino’s, and Extreme Pizza all reportedly saw higher-than-usual order volumes around 7 p.m. ET. “As of 6:59 p.m. ET nearly all pizza establishments nearby the Pentagon have experienced a HUGE surge in activity,” the X account posted. The timing? Just hours before news broke of Israel’s major attack on Iran.

The U.S. announced it was not involved in the attacks. “We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement released by the White House on June 12. However, as the theory goes, the surge in traffic at local pizza joints close to government buildings may have signaled hungry military leadership hunkering down to monitor unfolding events. “The kind of analytics we love,” read one comment on X. “Google Maps research beats some spy agencies around the world,” another user reacted.

The predictive power of pizza isn’t a new theory. As Alex Selby-Boothroyd, The Economist’s head of data journalism, wrote on LinkedIn: “The Pentagon Pizza Index has been a surprisingly reliable predictor of seismic global events—from coups to wars—since the 1980s.” During the Cold War, Soviet operatives reportedly monitored pizza delivery activity in Washington, believing a sudden uptick in late-night orders signaled military personnel working overtime. They even gave it a code name: “Pizzint,” short for pizza intelligence.

In January 1991, Frank Meeks, who then owned 43 Domino’s outlets in the Washington area, told the Los Angeles Times: “The news media doesn’t always know when something big is going to happen because they’re in bed, but [pizza] deliverers are out there at 2 in the morning.” He added that on the night of August 1, 1990, the CIA ordered a record number of pizzas in a single night—21 pies. A few hours later, Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait, marking the beginning of the Gulf War. As CNN’s then-Pentagon correspondent Wolf Blitzer reportedly said in 1990: “Bottom line for journalists: Always monitor the pizzas.”

Of course, a correlation between pizza delivery and global crises is not a verified method of tracking world events. In a statement to Newsweek, the Pentagon dismissed the theory, noting they have plenty of pizza options inside the building, along with sushi, sandwiches, and donuts. They also disputed the timeline suggested by the Pentagon Pizza Report, saying it did “not align with the events.”

PIZZA INTELLIGENCE (PIZZINT)
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizza_Meter
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/pentagons-pizza-meter-accurately-predicted-21-crises
Pentagon’s Pizza Index has accurately predicted 21 crises  /  3 June, 2025

“As tensions rise in the Middle East, a curious, crowd-driven theory known as the “Pentagon Pizza Index” has caught fire online. On June 12 and 13, users on X (formerly Twitter) reported a sudden spike in pizza deliveries near the Pentagon and Department of Defense in Washington, D.C., sparking speculation that the United States may be quietly entering crisis mode behind closed doors. The timing? Just hours before Israel reportedly struck targets in Iran in response to Tehran’s earlier drone and missile attacks. And once again, pizza orders were booming.

The idea isn’t new. During the Cold War, Soviet operatives observed pizza delivery activity in Washington, believing it signaled crisis preparation inside U.S. intelligence circles. They coined it “Pizzint” — short for pizza intelligence. This tactic entered public lore on 1 August 1990, when Frank Meeks, a Domino’s franchisee in Washington, noticed a sudden surge in deliveries to CIA buildings. The next day, Iraq invaded Kuwait. Meeks later told the Los Angeles Times he saw a similar pattern in December 1998 during the impeachment hearings of President Bill Clinton. As former CNN Pentagon correspondent Wolf Blitzer once joked in 1990, “Bottom line for journalists: Always monitor the pizzas.”

The modern Pentagon Pizza Index is tracked through open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools. These include Google Maps, which shows real-time restaurant activity, and social media observations. Pages like @PenPizzaReport on X have dedicated themselves to watching for abnormal patterns. On 1 June 2025, the account posted, “With less than an hour to go before closing time, the Domino’s closest to the Pentagon is experiencing unusually high footfall.” A few hours later, reports emerged of a fresh escalation between Israel and Iran. For believers in the theory, it was yet another sign that something bigger was underway. The most notable recent instance occurred on 13 April 2024, the night Iran launched a massive drone and missile strike against Israel. That same evening, screenshots from delivery platforms showed pizzerias around the Pentagon, White House, and Department of Defense tagged as “busier than usual.” Multiple Papa John’s and Domino’s branches reported increased orders. The correlation prompted viral memes and renewed interest in the theory. According to Euro News, a user on X posted on 13 June 2025, “The Pentagon Pizza Index is hiking.”

The concept is deceptively simple. When military staff face a national emergency, they work longer shifts and can’t leave their posts. They need quick, filling food — and pizza fits the bill. Studies in behavioural psychology show that under stress, people prefer calorie-dense, familiar comfort foods. During high-alert operations, officials may work 16–20 hour days. That creates a visible consumption spike that outsiders can track. And because platforms like Google and Uber Eats share real-time data on restaurant activity, amateur analysts can monitor these patterns — no hacking required.

The Pentagon Pizza Index isn’t a foolproof system. It could easily be triggered by something mundane: a long staff meeting, a software glitch, or a nearby college football game. That’s why modern OSINT analysts often cross-reference pizza spikes with other indicators — like unusual aircraft movements, ride-hailing activity, or power usage near government buildings. When multiple signs align, it suggests more than coincidence. As a senior analyst put it: “You can’t bank a war call on a pizza. But if the Pentagon’s burning the midnight oil and feeding everyone, it’s worth a second look.” Despite the chatter online, the US government has made no mention of pizza deliveries as indicators of crisis. Responding to speculation about American involvement in Israel’s airstrikes on Iran, Republican Senator Marco Rubio said: “We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defence.” Still, the Pentagon’s silence on the pizza theory hasn’t stopped internet users from speculating. In an age where open-source tools let ordinary people track the movement of jets, ships, and even pizzas, the Pentagon Pizza Index sits at the bizarre intersection of humour and fear. It turns snack food into a warning system…”

Leave a Reply