The Pizza Index: How Late-Night Orders Foreshadowed War

How a strange Pentagon pattern became an early warning signal — and why unusual indicators matter more than ever.

Recently, the Pentagon Pizza Index—an informal gauge tracking pizza orders near the US Department of Defense headquarters—made headlines again by seemingly predicting the sudden Israel-Iran conflict in June 2025.

This index monitors spikes in late-night pizza deliveries to Pentagon-area pizzerias, which tend to surge when military personnel work extended hours ahead of major geopolitical or military events.

The theory behind the index is simple yet intriguing: when global tensions escalate, Pentagon staff often order more pizza as they work late into the night managing crises.