How pizza orders predicted the Israel-Iran conflict

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A viral theory is doing the rounds that a spike in pizza deliveries to the Pentagon predicts the next global crisis. A popular account, 'Pentagon Pizza Report,' which documents traffic at pizza delivery outlets in Arlington County, Virginia, where the US military headquarters is based, claimed a surge in pizza orders at three outlets, an hour before Israel struck Iran on Friday read more
A theory about the spike in deliveries of pizzas to the United States defence headquarters can predict the next global crisis has become viral. Representational Image/Pixabay
When the Pentagon loads up on pizzas, does it signal a war is coming? A theory about the spike in deliveries of pizzas to the United States defence headquarters predicting the next global crisis has become viral.
While there is no science behind it, the coincidence is worth noting. Dubbed 'Pizza Index', internet sleuths have delved into the speculations.
Let's take a closer look.
What is Pentagon Pizza Index?
A popular account on X, 'Pentagon Pizza Report,' has been documenting traffic at pizza delivery outlets in Arlington County, Virginia, where US military headquarters is based.
The account claimed to offer 'hot intel' and monitor traffic at local pizzerias.
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A 'busier than usual' indicator on the Google Maps profile of the Domino's in Arlington has been associated with major acts of war around the world.
Did Pizza Index predict Iran-Israel conflict?
The Pentagon Pizza Report posted the Google Maps activity of four pizza establishments near the Pentagon – We, The Pizza, District Pizza Palace, Domino's and Extreme Pizza. All these pizza takeaway spots showed a surge in orders around 6:59 pm ET (4:29 am IST).
The post said, 'As of 6:59 pm ET nearly all pizza establishments nearby the Pentagon have experienced a HUGE surge in activity.'
This came an hour before Iranian media reported explosions in Tehran.
Extreme Pizza, one of the closest pizza establishments nearby the Pentagon, is experiencing a huge surge in activity.
District Pizza Palace, a bit farther away, is also experiencing a surge in activity.
Both unusual for a Wednesday at around 7:05pm EST pic.twitter.com/kYQP1LQ33h — Pentagon Pizza Report (@PenPizzaReport) June 11, 2025
'With about an hour left before close, the second closest Dominos to the Pentagon (about an eight min drive) is experiencing EXTREMELY high levels of traffic compared to a normal Thursday at about 11:00 pm ET (8:30 am),' the account said in one post.
Israel said it targeted Iran's nuclear facilities , ballistic missile factories and military commanders on Friday (June 13). Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard's leader, Hossein Salami, and the chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, General Mohammad Bagheri, were killed in Israeli strikes.
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The US said it was not involved in Israel's attack on Iran. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel took 'unilateral action against Iran'. 'We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,' Rubio said in a statement released by the White House.
Reacting to the 'pizza index' post, social media users further fuelled the speculation.
'They should really open a secret Dominos inside the building,' a user chimed.
'I feel like this really is telling us there's a panic at these places,' another remarked.
Origin of 'Pizza index'
Some say the pizza theory dates back to the Cold War, when Soviet intelligence reportedly monitored pizza joints in Washington, DC, to predict American military activity. As per news.com.au, it was called 'Pizzint', meaning pizza intelligence.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, several media outlets reported a surge in pizza sales during notable moments. They dubbed this metric the Pizza Meter.
On August 1, 1990, pizza orders reportedly spiked as Saddam Hussein prepared to invade Kuwait the next day.
In 1991, during Operation Desert Storm, Frank Meeks, who owned 59 Domino's franchises in the Washington area, claimed his orders spiked every time military action was imminent. In 1998, he told the LA Times, they had a similar surge during Bill Clinton's impeachment hearings.
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During Operation Desert Fox in December 1998, 'the White House ordered 32 per cent more extra-cheese pizzas than normal', The Washington Post reported.
A former CNN Pentagon correspondent, Wolf Blitzer, once joked in 1990, 'The bottom line for journalists: always keep an eye on the pizzas'.
With inputs from agencies