Did US pizza joints really predict Israel’s strike on Iran? X account dedicated to ‘Pizza Index’ theory claims

Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, targeting nuclear and military sites. In retaliation, Iran fired a barrage of ballistic missiles, some hitting Tel Aviv.

Amid the rising conflicts between Israel and Iran, a bizarre theory has resurfaced on social media. The “Pizza Index” theory claims that when pizza deliveries from eateries around the Pentagon increase, it suggests that something big is brewing or US agents are handling an imminent crisis. An X profile dedicated to this theory allegedly tracks the volume of pizza orders around the Department of Defense office. In a series of recent tweets, they claim that pizza orders from three restaurants around the area increased before Israel’s airstrikes on Iran.

'Pizza Index' theory has gone viral amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran. (Unsplash)

“All pizza establishments nearby the Pentagon have experienced a HUGE surge in activity,” the X profile posted sharing what appears to be charts comparing the deliveries at various times of the day.

In another post, the profile shared, “With minutes left before close District Pizza Palace which is not too far from the Pentagon is experiencing a huge surge in traffic.”

The page also referenced a Domino’s location near the White House, stating that the place is experiencing “above-average levels of traffic.”

What is the “Pizza Index” theory?

The theory suggests that when people working at America’s military headquarters can’t leave their desks due to high work pressure caused by national or global events, they eat pizza for sustenance, prompting an increase in orders of this dish from nearby establishments. In other words, the theory claims that one can gauge if something big is underway by monitoring the pizza orders.

“Not a new theory”

According to a Telegraph report, pizza orders rose substantially the night before Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990.

Frank Meeks, owner of multiple Domino’s franchises in the Washington area, told the outlets in 1991 that he saw a spike in orders before each military action under Operation Desert Storm. Meeks claimed that it was a sign that a crisis was afoot.