Thousands Are Following The Pentagon Pizza Index

 
The "Pentagon Pizza Index" is a viral, crowdsourced theory suggesting that spikes in pizza deliveries to restaurants near the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, signal heightened military activity or impending geopolitical events. On June 12, 2025, this phenomenon gained attention when the X account @PenPizzaReport noted a significant surge in pizza orders at establishments like Domino’s, We The Pizza, District Pizza Palace, and Extreme Pizza around 6:59 PM ET, roughly 90 minutes before Iranian state media reported explosions in Tehran from Israel’s airstrikes on June 13, 2025. 

The account also observed unusually low traffic at Freddie’s Beach Bar, a nearby gay bar, suggesting Pentagon staff were working late, further fueling speculation of a “busy night” at the U.S. military headquarters.

The theory dates back to the Cold War, when Soviet intelligence reportedly monitored pizza deliveries to U.S. government buildings as a form of open-source intelligence (OSINT), dubbed “Pizzint.”

Pizza Surge Details: At 6:59 PM ET on June 12, @PenPizzaReport posted that “nearly all pizza establishments nearby the Pentagon have experienced a HUGE surge in activity,” with a follow-up noting a drop in activity 10 minutes later, suggesting a brief window between meetings. By 11:00 PM ET, a Domino’s 8 minutes from the Pentagon saw “extremely high levels of traffic.”

Bar Traffic: At 10:00 PM ET, Freddie’s Beach Bar had “abnormally low traffic for a Thursday night,” interpreted as a sign of Pentagon staff staying late.

Israel’s Strikes: Israel launched “Operation Rising Lion” targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories, and military leaders around 3:00 AM Tehran time (8:00 PM ET) on June 13, killing key figures like Iran’s Revolutionary Guard leader Hossein Salami.

U.S. Involvement: President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the U.S. was informed of Israel’s plans but did not participate, focusing on protecting American forces.

Social Media and Public Reaction

The @PenPizzaReport account, with over 69,000 followers, uses Google Maps’ real-time data to track restaurant activity, sparking widespread online discussion. X users commented on the surge as a “great catch,” with some joking, “They should open a secret Domino’s inside the Pentagon,” while others noted, “Pizza tracker is never wrong.” However, skepticism persists, with users like @NoulFN speculating on X about the surge’s implications, though without conclusive evidence.

A Pentagon spokesperson dismissed the theory, stating the building has internal dining options, including pizza, sushi, and sandwiches, and that the timeline reported by @PenPizzaReport “did not align with the events.”