Sounds a bit like a conspiracy theory, but there’s something to it. The fact is that an increase in pizza orders to the Pentagon has become an amazingly accurate indicator of high-level geopolitical events.
In other words, the more food is delivered to the Pentagon, the more likely it is that a global event will happen or is happening. More pizza? More problems. This culinary crystal ball even has a name: the Pentagon Pizza Index, which you can track via an account on X.
On June 12, Pentagon Pizza Report noticed a spike in Google Maps activity from four pizzerias near the Pentagon, with above-average order volume around 7 p.m. local time.
At exactly 6:59 p.m., the Pentagon Pizza Report revealed that orders at all pizzerias near the Pentagon went through the roof. A few hours later, it was announced that Israel had launched a major attack on Iran. Coincidence, or the predicting power of mozzarella?
Even CNN legend and former Pentagon correspondent Wolf Blitzer once explained how journalists should always keep an eye on the pizza. Indeed, even during the Cold War, Soviet agents allegedly monitored pizza deliveries in Washington and codenamed the fun “Pizzint”, short for Pizza Intelligence.
This phenomenon isn’t just reserved for American military meltdowns. Here in Cape Town, we’ve got our own version: the Butler’s Pizza Index – the unofficial barometer of the city’s collective mood.
Thankfully, it’s a little more cheerful than its Pentagon counterpart. When the Butlers’ deliveries start buzzing through the suburbs, it usually signals good vibes, not global crises.
[Source: Nextpic]