Latest news with #PizzaIndex
India Today
11 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
The ‘Pizza Index': Can fast food forecast war?
As tensions between Israel and Iran flared in recent weeks, a bizarre and long-forgotten theory has re-entered the spotlight the so-called 'Pizza Index.' No, this isn't the latest foodie trend. It's a strange metric some online sleuths claim can predict major military theory, largely fuelled by an anonymous X (formerly Twitter) account, suggests that when pizza deliveries spike near the Pentagon, something big even explosive is on the horizon. And just before Israel launched its latest airstrikes on Iran? The dough started flying. According to the account, pizza orders from three restaurants close to the U.S. Department of Defense surged in the hours leading up to the Israeli assault. One post declared: 'All pizza establishments nearby the Pentagon have experienced a HUGE surge in activity.' Another claimed that 'District Pizza Palace, just minutes before closing, was experiencing a huge surge in traffic.' Even a nearby Domino's, allegedly close to the White House, reported 'above-average levels of traffic.'Coincidence? believers point to historical precedents. Back in 1990, the night before Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, pizza orders reportedly spiked in Washington, D.C. Frank Meeks, who owned several Domino's franchises in the capital, later observed the same trend before the launch of Operation Desert Storm in logic behind the theory is surprisingly simple: when major decisions loom, Pentagon staff don't leave their desks. War rooms heat up, phones don't stop ringing, and fast, convenient food like pizza becomes essential not about dough — it's about laugh it off as pure coincidence, yet even sceptics admit there's something oddly compelling about how food delivery patterns might mirror global did America's cheese-covered secret sauce really foreshadow Israel's strike on Iran?We may never know. But maybe just maybe the biggest clue wasn't buried in classified documents. Maybe it was in a pizza box advertisement
News18
16 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
What Is Pizza Index Theory, And Why Is It Trending After Israel's Strikes On Iran
Last Updated: Reportedly, pizza orders from three restaurants around the Pentagon increased ahead of Israel's airstrikes on Iran. As tensions escalate in the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, a bizarre theory known as the 'Pizza Index" has resurfaced on social media. The theory suggests a correlation between spikes in pizza orders near the Pentagon and impending geopolitical crises. A recent surge in delivery activity around the U.S. Department of Defence in Washington, D.C., was flagged by a popular social media account, Pentagon Pizza Report. The account shared a series of posts claiming that pizza orders from three local restaurants spiked just before Israel launched airstrikes on Iran. 'As of 6:59 pm ET nearly all pizza establishments nearby the Pentagon have experienced a HUGE surge in activity," the post read. This was about an hour before Iranian state television reported explosions in Tehran. — Pentagon Pizza Report (@PenPizzaReport) June 12, 2025 The account shared Google Maps activity from four pizza places close to the Pentagon -We, The Pizza, District Pizza Palace, Domino's and Extreme Pizza. It showed all of them getting more orders than usual during this time. 'With about an hour left before close, the 2nd closest Domino's to the Pentagon (about an eight-minute drive) is experiencing EXTREMELY high levels of traffic compared to a normal Thursday at about 11:00 pm ET," said another post from the account. The unusual pizza surge didn't go unnoticed. Social media users shared their thoughts in the comments section. A user said, 'The Pentagon needs its own pizza place inside the building. This is embarrassing." Another said, 'This was a great catch, within an hour bombs flying in Tehran." 'Google maps research beats some spy agencies around the world," someone else reacted. 'The kind of analytics we love," read another comment. The pizza theory has become a somewhat reliable way of predicting major global events over the years. The theory is simple. When something serious is going on and staff at the Pentagon can't leave their desks, they often order pizza. So, a sudden rise in pizza deliveries could mean something important is happening behind the scenes. According to NT News, the phenomenon is nothing new and goes back to the Cold War. Back then, Soviet intelligence reportedly kept an eye on pizza deliveries as a way to track possible U.S. military activity. They even came up with a term for it – Pizzint, short for pizza intelligence. This kind of activity has shown up several times over the years. In 1989, right before the US entered Panama, pizza orders reportedly doubled. In 1990, a Domino's franchise owner in Washington D.C., noticed a sudden rise in orders going to CIA buildings. The very next day, Iraq invaded Kuwait. A similar increase in pizza demand was also seen during the 1998 impeachment hearings of President Bill Clinton.
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First Post
19 hours ago
- Business
- First Post
How pizza orders predicted the Israel-Iran conflict
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. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 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 — 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. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 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 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. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 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
Hindustan Times
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Tourist shatters fragile crystal-covered ‘Van Gogh' chair while posing for photo: 'Terrible and shameful'
A tourist's reckless stunt at the Palazzo Maffei museum in Verona, Italy, has drawn widespread criticism after he damaged a fragile art installation by sitting on it for a photo. Security footage from the museum shows the man ignoring the delicate nature of the exhibit and sitting directly on the chair, a work of art adorned with thousands of Swarovski crystals, despite clear indications not to touch the piece. The chair collapsed under his weight as he lost balance, attempting to steady himself by grabbing onto a nearby wall. Instead of mimicking his female companion, who had only pretended to sit for her photo, the man went ahead and sat on the artwork. The woman quickly came to his aid, and the pair fled the scene before security returned. The museum publicly condemned the incident, describing the tourists' actions as 'superficial' and 'disrespectful'. In a social media post, the museum added, 'They ignored every rule of respect for art and cultural heritage,' also pointing out that the couple had waited for the room to be empty before attempting the stunt. Also read: Did US pizza joints really predict Israel's strike on Iran? X account dedicated to 'Pizza Index' theory claims The damaged installation, known as the 'Van Gogh' chair, is a delicate creation by Italian artist Nicola Bolla. Inspired by a famous Van Gogh painting, the chair is completely encrusted with Swarovski crystals and was considered a centrepiece of the exhibit. Though initially uncertain about whether the chair could be salvaged, museum staff were able to restore it within a few days. 'For days we didn't know if it would be possible to restore it. But we did it,' a museum representative said in a Facebook post. 'A heartfelt thanks goes to the police, our security department and the restorers, whose precious work allowed the work to be recovered.' The museum did not disclose the cost of the restoration or confirm whether the couple would be held financially accountable. A post shared by Palazzo Maffei Casa Museo (@palazzomaffeiverona) Outraged social media users slammed the tourists' behaviour. 'Idiots! I hope they are reported!' commented Davide Baraldi. Another user wrote, 'The embodiment of mediocrity, rudeness and ignorance.' 'So much ignorance, this is unacceptable!,' wrote a user while another added, 'Terrible and shameful' One user added, 'Well let's hope the culprits have been identified and held accountable.' Also read: Dog trapped in Tel Aviv building after Iran's missile strike miraculously rescued A user noted, 'Unfortunately too many people enter museums just for a shot to post on social media and not because they have a real interest in art, which explains the ignorance and total lack of respect for places and works.'
Hindustan Times
20 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Alissa Turney: What happened to her, and has she been found?
'Dateline NBC,' the longest-running primetime series in NBC's history, is now in its 33rd season. Anchored by Lester Holt and featuring correspondents Blayne Alexander, Andrea Canning, Josh Mankiewicz, Keith Morrison, and Dennis Murphy, the show returned Friday night with another haunting case: the 2001 disappearance of 17-year-old Alissa Turney. ALSO READ| Did US pizza joints really predict Israel's strike on Iran? X account dedicated to 'Pizza Index' theory claims Alissa Turney was just 17 years old when she vanished from Phoenix, Arizona, in her junior year in high school. It was 17 May 2001, and no one knew it would be the last time they'd ever see her. For years, Alissa was labelled a runaway. A note left behind in her room suggested she'd headed to California to live with her aunt. But that explanation didn't sit right with her loved ones for long. Alissa had left behind everything: her cellphone, makeup, car, and nearly $1,800 in her bank account. Her aunt also said she never arrived. 'I wasn't worried,' Alissa's younger sister Sarah told People Magazine in 2020. 'I was under the impression she was going to be back. I don't think her being gone forever was anything that ever crossed my mind.' Born on 3 April 1984, Alissa grew up in Phoenix in a blended family. After her mother died of cancer, her stepfather, Michael Turney, became her sole guardian. While he officially adopted Alissa, she often confided in friends that he was controlling, so much so that he installed surveillance cameras around their home. ALSO READ| 'Nobody's gonna be there': Trump fears empty birthday parade, insider says The last person to see Alissa was Michael. He later told police that they had lunch that day and got into an argument before he dropped her off at home. A few hours later, he reported her missing, claiming she had run away. Surprisingly, police did not immediately search the house or question Michael. Later, he told authorities he received a call from Alissa on a payphone in California, but nothing ever came of that lead. Years went by without any developments. 'Nobody looked for her,' Sarah later said in a TikTok video. 'Not anybody in my family. The police didn't do anything despite her being reported missing. Nothing really happened until 2006.' That year, the case was reopened, and Michael Turney became the primary suspect. In 2020, after tireless advocacy from Sarah, who turned to social media to demand justice, Michael was arrested. But the case fell apart in court, and in 2023, a judge acquitted him of all charges due to a lack of evidence. 'I have no idea where Alissa is, alive or dead,' Michael told NBC's Dateline. ALSO READ| Trump's military parade a big flop? Report reveals calls for seat fillers in exchange for $1,000 in crypto Till today, Alissa's body has never been found. The case remains open, and Sarah continues her search for answers. 'In my heart, I feel certain that Alissa is gone,' Sarah told The New York Times in 2020. 'It took me a very, very long time to come to that conclusion, and there was so much guilt there when I did.'
