‘Pizza Index’ Sparks Curiosity Ahead of Global Events

What Is the Pizza Index?

In times of major global events, especially wars or sudden military actions, people often look for early warning signs. One unusual but surprisingly popular signal is something called the Pizza Index.

So, what exactly is it? The Pizza Index is simple: when something big is happening at the Pentagon, the people inside tend to order more pizza late at night. A spike in pizza deliveries around those locations often signals urgent military activity.

People first noticed this trend years ago. In the 1990s, some reporters observed that pizza deliveries increased around important U.S. government buildings just before big announcements or international conflicts. It happened before the Cold War ended and during the Gulf War as well. That’s how the Pizza Index got its name.

Recently, the Pizza Index made headlines again just before the Israel–Iran conflict in June 2025. On that day, people watching delivery apps noticed that pizza wait times around the Pentagon had increased. Not long after, Israel launched airstrikes on Iran. This led many to wonder — was this another case of the Pizza Index predicting something big?

Can pizza orders really predict a war? While it may sound amusing, some people do use open apps and maps to track food delivery times around key places like the Pentagon. When pizza joints near the Pentagon get flooded with late-night orders or delivery times surge, observers can't help but speculate that something serious might be underway.

But experts caution against jumping to conclusions. Sports games, bad weather, or big discounts can also spike pizza sales. And while it’s true that military staff may work late during high-tension times, not every pizza rush means a war is coming.

So, why do people still watch it? Because it's simple, quirky, and — sometimes — eerily accurate. The Pizza Index isn’t a proven method, but it's a small hint that something bigger might be happening behind the scenes.

One thing is clear — coincidence or not, the Pizza Index shows us that even something as ordinary as a surge in pizza deliveries can sometimes point to a much bigger story.