Latest news with #PentagonPizzaIndex
NDTV
15 hours ago
- Business
- NDTV
What Spike In Pizza Orders Near Pentagon Indicates About Global Crises
As Israel prepared to launch airstrikes on Iran as part of its Operation Lion, there was frantic activity on the nights of June 12 and 13 thousands of miles away at pizza outlets in Arlington, Virginia. What's the connection, you ask? Most of these fast-food chains that reported unusually high activity and sales were located near the Pentagon, the US military headquarters. The spike in pizza orders near the Pentagon and the US Department of Defence has, on multiple occasions in the past, accurately predicted global crises, according to a report in The Economic Times. An X account, Pentagon Pizza Index, now records and reports the activity on a regular basis, often indicating what's brewing in international politics. On Friday, roughly an hour before the first reports of Israeli strikes on Iran came in, pizza orders around the Pentagon spiked. 'As of 6:59 pm ET nearly all pizza establishments nearby the Pentagon have experienced a HUGE surge in activity,' Pentagon Pizza Report posted on Thursday. As of 6:59pm ET nearly all pizza establishments nearby the Pentagon have experienced a HUGE surge in activity. — Pentagon Pizza Report (@PenPizzaReport) June 12, 2025 On June 13, there were similar reports. "With about an hour left before close, the 2nd closest Dominos to the Pentagon (about 8 min drive) is experiencing EXTREMELY high levels of traffic compared to a normal Thursday at about 11:00 pm ET," the account posted. With 30 min to close, this Dominos continues to experience extremely high traffic. Freddie's Beach Bar, however, has jumped back up to average levels of activity. — Pentagon Pizza Report (@PenPizzaReport) June 13, 2025 Cold War It all started during the Cold War when the Soviet operatives noticed the pizza delivery activity in Washington and reported to their bosses in Moscow if America was preparing for something big. On August 1, 1990, a Domino's franchisee in Washington reported a massive surge in pizza deliveries to the CIA buildings. On August 2, Saddam Hussein's Iraq invaded Kuwait. A similar pattern was noticed ahead of Operation Desert Storm in 1991, The Guardian reported. Over the years, the theory remained in place and has now made its way to social media. The Pentagon Pizza Index, among some of the other pages, used open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools, including Google Maps and real-time restaurant activity. Iran Hits Back On Friday night and Saturday morning, Iran struck back at Israel's largest cities - Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Air raid sirens were heard and people ran to seek cover in bomb shelters as Israeli defence systems intercepted Iranian missiles in the sky. The Iranian retaliation came after Israel targeted the Islamic Republic's military and nuclear installations and killed multiple high-ranking military officials, including Hossein Salami, the chief of the Revolutionary Guards.
Time of India
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
US complicity in Israel's strike on Iran exposed by high pizza deliveries and a quiet gay bar near Pentagon
On the evening of June 13, 2025, as Israel launched a sweeping and secretive airstrike against Iran's nuclear and military sites, a curious pattern emerged thousands of miles away in Washington, D.C. Near the Pentagon - the heart of U.S. defense and intelligence operations - pizza deliveries surged dramatically, a phenomenon known as the Pentagon Pizza Index . This quirky yet historically consistent indicator has long been associated with looming military crises, and it once again signaled that something major was underway. Adding an intriguing social dimension to this pattern, observers noted an unusual drop in patronage at Freddie's Beach Bar, the closest gay bar to the Pentagon, which experienced an abnormally quiet night on June 13. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 23.7% Returns in last 5 years with Shriram Life's ULIP Shriram Life Insurance Undo While pizza joints buzzed with activity, the bar's silence suggested that Pentagon staff and intelligence operatives were working late into the night, leaving little time for social outings. This inverse relationship—spikes in pizza orders coupled with diminished nightlife—has become part of the evolving Pentagon Pizza narrative, reflecting the intense operational tempo inside the military headquarters. But can such seemingly trivial parameters as pizza deliveries and local nightlife truly be trusted as early warning signs? Historical evidence suggests they might be more than coincidence. Live Events The pentagon pizza index: From cold war origins to digital age The Pentagon Pizza Index traces back to Cold War-era observations when Soviet intelligence reportedly monitored pizza deliveries in Washington, interpreting surges as signs of American crisis preparation. The term 'Pizzint' (pizza intelligence) was coined to describe this tactic. A famous early example occurred on August 1, 1990, when Domino's franchise owner Frank Meeks noticed a sudden spike in pizza orders to CIA buildings—the very night before Iraq invaded Kuwait and triggered the Gulf War . Since then, the pattern has repeated during significant events such as the U.S. invasion of Panama and President Bill Clinton's impeachment hearings. In recent years, the index has been tracked through open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools, including Google Maps real-time data and social media accounts like 'Pentagon Pizza Report' on X (formerly Twitter), which flagged a surge in pizza orders near the Pentagon just hours before Israel's June 13 strike on Iran. The climax: US awareness of Israel's strike While the Pentagon Pizza Index and social venue activity provided indirect but telling clues of escalating tension, the most consequential revelation came from official sources: the United States was aware of Israel's planned strike on Iran before it occurred. According to multiple reports, including statements from senior U.S. officials and President Donald Trump , Washington had been informed by Israel in advance and closely monitored the operation. However, the Trump administration emphasized that it did not participate in the strikes, maintaining that Israel acted independently, though the U.S. continued to assist Israel defensively by helping intercept Iranian missile retaliations. Senator Marco Rubio stated that Israel viewed the attack as an act of self-defense and had informed the U.S. accordingly. The White House reiterated that its priority was protecting American forces in the region, signaling a delicate balance between tacit approval and official non-involvement. This knowledge contextualizes the Pentagon Pizza Index surge and the quiet at Freddie's Beach Bar as actual parameters reflecting the Pentagon's heightened alertness and operational readiness in response to a known, imminent military escalation.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
You Can Tell When War Is Breaking Out Because the Pentagon's Pizza Orders Spike Drastically
A flurry of activity at pizza delivery outlets near the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, is a surprisingly accurate predictor of war, as hungry military leadership hunkers down to monitor unfolding military activities. As painstakingly documented by X account Pentagon Pizza Report, a "busier than usual" indicator on the Google Maps profile of the Domino's in Arlington has been associated with major acts of war taking place around the world. Most recently, the franchise received an onslaught of orders just before closing last night — almost perfectly coinciding with Israel's devastating attack on Iran. Even long before the advent of live, GPS-based customer tracking on Google Maps, famished Pentagon workers have long given away that there's something much darker going on by ordering copious numbers of pies. "The Pentagon Pizza Index has been a surprisingly reliable predictor of seismic global events — from coups to wars — since the 1980s," The Economist's head of data journalism Alex Selby-Boothroyd wrote in a LinkedIn post. "On the night of August 1st 1990, for example, the CIA ordered 21 pizzas in a single night just before the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait (a new record)," he added. "Who says pie charts aren't useful?" And it's not just Domino's. As Euronews reported last week, the Papa John's close to the Pentagon has also been found to be "busier than usual" during the days leading up to Iran launching drones into Israeli territory in April 2024. A separate event chronicled by Pentagon Pizza Report also predicted military activity on June 1, followed just hours later by an escalation between Israel and Iran. Of course, making any definitive statements about any correlation would be foolish. But it's an intriguing sign that even the most secretive parts of the US government can easily show their cards without meaning to. "Bottom line for journalists," Wolf Blitzer told CNN in 1990. "Always monitor the pizzas." More on pizza: Chef Admits His Smash Hit Pizza Was Invented by ChatGPT
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Pentagon's Pizza Index has accurately predicted 21 crises: Is WWIII next?
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. Cold war roots of the pizza theory What began as a Soviet spy trick is now a digital-age meme by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Get Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro at a low price Medvi Get Offer The idea isn't new. During the Cold War, Soviet operatives observed pizza delivery activity in Washington, believing it signalled 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. Live Events As former CNN Pentagon correspondent Wolf Blitzer once joked in 1990, 'Bottom line for journalists: Always monitor the pizzas.' WWIII warning: What is the Pentagon Pizza Index today? A meme, an OSINT tool, or a symptom of digital-age paranoia? 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 April 2024 pizza spike A recent example that reignited interest 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.' Inside the logic: Why pizza? Food, fatigue and national security 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. World War III: Pizza as a proxy for preparedness It's not perfect, but it's consistent 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.' Official silence, public curiosity What the US government says — and doesn't say 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. Humour meets anxiety in the age of digital vigilance 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. It's also a reminder: not all intelligence requires a badge. Sometimes, the clue might be just down the road — in a Domino's queue. Whether you see it as absurd or insightful, one thing is clear: when the pizzas fly, people pay attention.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Why is the 'Pentagon Pizza Index' trending on social media
As far as world indicators go, you might wonder how the Pentagon—America's most secure military headquarters—has anything to do with pizza. But what if ordering a pizza near the Pentagon was actually a warning sign of geopolitical turmoil? That's the idea behind the so-called Pentagon Pizza Index, sometimes also called the Pentagon Pizza Meter. It's a strange, persistent theory that claims a surge in pizza orders around the Pentagon or Department of Defense signals an imminent global crisis. And after going viral last year, it's making a comeback, thanks to growing tensions in the Middle East. Iran-Israel tensions The renewed focus on the Pentagon Pizza Index coincides with rising hostilities in the Middle East. While U.S. officials have denied direct involvement in the Iran-Israel war, online users believe America's defense machinery may be quietly bracing behind the scenes. A spike in delivery activity near major military and intelligence centers was first flagged late on June 12 by a user who posted: 'The Pentagon Pizza Index is hiking.' A Domino's outlet near the Department of Defense also appeared particularly busy, and a dedicated X page tracking delivery patterns confirmed the uptick on June 13. What is the Pentagon Pizza Index? The so-called Pentagon Pizza Index refers to a long-standing, half-serious theory that a sudden surge in pizza deliveries around U.S. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo defense buildings indicates that officials are too busy to leave their posts—often due to national security emergencies or military operations. The theory was popularized by food culture site The Takeout, but its roots go back to the Cold War. Reportedly, Soviet intelligence once tracked food deliveries in Washington to assess American crisis readiness. The thinking: more pizza = more panic. In the social media era, the theory has become a kind of crowdsourced warning system, with online users scanning delivery maps for unusual patterns. Recent surges near Papa John's and Domino's outlets in D.C. have led some to believe that the Pentagon is in active response mode. Historical surges that fuel the theory This isn't the first time pizza deliveries have mysteriously spiked near major events. Believers often point to past incidents that seem to support the pattern: August 1, 1990: Frank Meeks, a Domino's franchisee in Washington, noticed a wave of deliveries to CIA buildings. The next day, Iraq invaded Kuwait—triggering the Gulf War. December 1998: A similar increase reportedly occurred during the impeachment hearings of President Bill Clinton. April 13, 2024: On the eve of Iran launching drones into Israeli territory, netizens again flagged pizza order surges from areas near the Pentagon and White House. Screenshots from food apps went viral within hours.
