Latest news with #PentagonPizzaReport
Washington Post
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Can pizza orders predict military action? One man keeps track.
If foreign adversaries want to predict when and where the United States will launch a military campaign, they might rely on satellite imagery, intercepted communications or AI analysis. But if garden-variety subreddit conspiracy theorists want to gain such insights before news breaks, they might just follow the pizza. Run by an anonymous software engineer, the social media account Pentagon Pizza Report tracks Google data for pizzerias around the military complex in Arlington. (The anonymous Google Maps data is aggregated from 'timeline' or 'location history' on phones, including visits made to establishments.) Often posting multiple times a day on X, PPR frequently singles out spikes in pizzeria activity, allowing its 200,000-plus followers to draw conclusions about what might be happening at the Pentagon. Mostly, it seems, these posts suggest little more than a busy (or slow) night at a pizzeria. But occasionally, the tracker publishes a chart or two implying the Pentagon brass is burning the midnight oil just ahead of a military action, their offices littered with greasy boxes. At around 7 p.m. on June 12, PPR noted that pizzerias around the Pentagon were booming; an hour later, Israel attacked Iran's nuclear program. At 7:13 p.m. on June 21, PPR pointed out the Papa Johns nearest the Pentagon was experiencing 'HIGH activity,' while Freddie's Beach Bar and Restaurant, a straight-friendly gay bar in Arlington with lots of Pentagon customers, was dead. Less than an hour later, President Donald Trump announced the United States had attacked three nuclear sites in Iran. Since its founding in August, PPR has become 'a joke more than anything else,' former Pentagon official Alex Plitsas, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said in an interview. 'There are people who are still really watching this thing seriously who don't really understand how things work.' PPR has a presence on Bluesky, TikTok, Threads and Twitch but has found its audience on Elon Musk's X, where its fan base goes well beyond the tinfoil-hat crowd. Followers include members of the military and the open-source intelligence community, or OSINT; professors and podcasters; journalists and other information junkies. Edward Byers, a retired Navy SEAL who won a Medal of Honor in 2016, and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, both follow the account. A man who called himself PPR's founder responded to a direct message from a Washington Post reporter on PPR's Bluesky account and also messaged from its X account. 'I think a large reason for the rapid growth is the OSINT community sharing my reports the past few weeks, which is super cool,' he said in a direct-message chat over Bluesky. 'There also seems to be a lot of Crypto traders very interested in my reports which I didn't really expect.' (The founder agreed to chat on the condition of anonymity because his identity 'would tarnish the spirit of the pizza report.' 'I think people have all sorts of different assumptions about the kind of guy that sits and stares at Google Maps data all day long,' he wrote.) He seems to approach the account with the open-mindedness of a scientist — and the perspective of someone who enjoys a good joke. He has no military background, and he can't even remember the first time he heard about the pizza index. He can be as enigmatic as his tracker: He won't be pinned down to a location other than the East Coast, and he won't reveal his age. But he's up-front about one thing: He understands that he's providing entertainment as much as information. 'I wouldn't be surprised if most people follow for the same reason I made the account,' he wrote on the Bluesky chat. 'It's stupid, it's funny, but you can't help but feel there's also something there.' The theory that spawned PPR has been frequently traced back to the Cold War, when Soviet agents allegedly monitored takeout orders to the highest reaches of the U.S. government. Yet it isn't clear the KGB ever relied on such methods. Simon Miles, an associate professor of history at Duke University who has studied Cold War-era spycraft, won't say that he's skeptical of the lore, exactly. 'You can't prove a negative,' he noted. But Miles has seen records from the Stasi, the East German intelligence service that shared information with the Soviets and other Eastern Bloc nations, and nowhere is there a mention of monitoring takeout. 'That's one of these Cold War stories that never goes away,' he said. 'I've never seen documentation to that effect.' Not that Russian spies weren't eyeing the streets around Washington for clues. Documents that Miles studied outlined some of the methods the KGB did use, including whether the government was moving founding documents from the National Archives into secure bunkers and whether many cars were parked past normal working hours at the White House. 'The idea was basically to create a list of indicators which, if enough of them started blinking red, so to speak, you would interpret that to mean that something was actually happening,' Miles said. Pizza, he said, wasn't on the list. Regardless, the 'pizza index' has fascinated people for decades, often fueled by media reports. In 1991, Frank Meeks, then the owner of 43 Domino's outlets in the D.C. area, told the AP that in the days leading up to Operation Desert Storm he had delivered dozens of pizzas to the Pentagon. Fifty-five pies, Meeks bragged, were sent to the White House in the hours before the U.S.-led coalition started an air campaign against Iraq over its invasion of Kuwait. In December 1998, Meeks was quoted by a Washington Post reporter during impeachment hearings against President Bill Clinton and preparations for Operation Desert Fox against Iraq. The White House and Congress broke previous three-day records for pizza deliveries, Meeks told The Post. 'The Pentagon Pizza Index has been a surprisingly reliable predictor of seismic global events — from coups to wars — since the 1980s,' Alex Selby-Boothroyd, head of data journalism for the Economist, wrote in a recent LinkedIn post. 'On the night of August 1st 1990 for example, the CIA ordered 21 pizzas in a single night just before the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait (a new record). Who says pie charts aren't useful?' But Pentagon ex-workers say times are different now than in the 1980s and '90s. Since the launch of Uber Eats, Grubhub, DoorDash and other delivery services, a new universe of food options has opened up for workers at the Pentagon, White House or CIA. Why would anyone limit themselves to chain pizza? Besides, as multiple people pointed out, the Pentagon already has plenty of food options inside, including Lebanese Taverna, McDonald's, Moe's Southwest Grill, Panda Express, Panera Bread, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Potbelly Sandwich Works, Subway, Taco Bell, Hissho Sushi and SmokeDatt Barbecue. There's even a pizzeria — Mosaic Pizza Company — but like many of the eateries there, it closes in the afternoon, catering to a rank-and-file staff that's often out the door by 5 p.m. The late-night options are pretty much limited to vending-machine sushi and the Market Basket Basement Cafe. Besides, leaders may not even want to break for food, said a U.S. Army reservist who regularly works in the Pentagon. 'It's just how we're wired,' said the reservist, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because she wasn't authorized to talk to the media. 'We're just trying to work so we can get it done.' None of the Pentagon workers contacted for this story had ever ordered a pizza at work — cell service is notoriously bad inside the building, one said — nor had they ever seen pizza boxes on a conference room table or in the trash. Which raises the question: Can pizza even be delivered to one of the most secure structures in the country? The Pentagon declined to comment for this story. But the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, its law enforcement agency, said all visitors must pass a background check and have authorized credentials; they and their belongings are also physically screened. All deliveries must be screened and inspected at the Pentagon Remote Delivery Facility just north of the complex. And anything perishable is 'confiscated and discarded,' spokesman Chris Layman noted in an email. But, Layman said, employees may bring in food that they've gotten directly from a restaurant. This appears to include food a staffer might pick up from a delivery driver at, say, the Pentagon Metro. These meals must also be screened and inspected. 'I can see having pizza delivered to a spot outside, but I don't recall we ever did it,' said Philip Greene, a retired U.S. Marine Corps attorney who had an office inside the Pentagon for 12 years. 'It's very anecdotal, but it makes sense. We're going to be burning the midnight oil. Let's get some pizza or Chinese food or whatever.'
Hindustan Times
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Papa Johns still reporting...'; Pentagon Pizza tracker drops new hint as Iran's bombs US airbases in Qatar
As Middle East tensions increase, an intriguing crowdsourced theory called the 'Pentagon Pizza Index' has gained popularity on the internet. Some even speculated that the US could be discreetly going into crisis mode behind closed doors when users on X (previously Twitter) reported an unexpected increase of pizza delivery near the Pentagon and Department of Defense in Washington, D.C., on June 12 and 13. Pentagon Pizza Report, a well-known X account with the handle @PenPizzaReport, claims to offer 'open-source tracking of pizza spot activity around the Pentagon (and other places).' Despite being around for decades, the theory has just now found its way into social media. Pentagon Pizza Report, a well-known X account with the handle @PenPizzaReport, claims to offer 'open-source tracking of pizza spot activity around the Pentagon (and other places).' On June 12, Pentagon Pizza Report stated in an update on X, 'nearly all pizza establishments nearby the Pentagon have experienced a HUGE surge in activity' at approximately 7 p.m. local time. Using a search engine's 'Popular Times' function, the post displayed what looked to be screen shots of four distinct pizza places that were busier than normal: We, The Pizza, Domino's Pizza, District Pizza Palace, and Extreme Pizza. The latest resurgence of the hypothesis between pizza activity and the Pentagon occurred the night when Israel's military launched a series of attacks to destroy Iranian nuclear facilities and missile infrastructure. Pentagon reacts to Pentagon Pizza Report A Pentagon spokesman told Newsweek that the tweets from the Pentagon Pizza Report 'did not align with the events.' The spokesperson told Newsweek that there 'are many pizza options available inside the Pentagon, also sushi, sandwiches, donuts, coffee, etc,' indicating that the Pentagon does not appear to be short on pizza options inside its headquarters. Also Read: Israel issues chilling '12 hours' warning to top Iranian General amid war; 'Otherwise, you're on…' Pizza tracker reports high activity at Papa John's near Pentagon Pizza tracker detected 'HIGH activity' at Papa John's near the Pentagon before US President Donald Trump confirmed that American airplanes had hit three nuclear sites in Iran. Just 30 minutes after the pizza traffic alarm, Trump declared on his Truth Social account that the US military had successfully attacked three important sites connected to Iran's nuclear enrichment program—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. 'A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. Thank you for your attention to this matter,' Trump wrote. Pentagon Pizza Index later reiterated Trump's statement, 'Thank you for your attention to this matter.' The same account also mentioned 'abnormally low activity levels' at Freddie's Beach Bar, a popular spot close to the Pentagon. The account described the calm night as a 'classic indicator for potential overtime at the Pentagon,' implying that either something significant was happening or people were working late. Approximately 30 minutes prior to Trump's national address, at approximately 9:36 p.m. Eastern Time, the account also reported a 'HUGE traffic surge' at the Domino's near MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. On April 23, Pentagon Pizza Tracker wrote: 'The Papa Johns closest to the Pentagon is reporting high traffic, well above the average for a Monday at about 12:10pm ET.' In retaliation for the American assault of its nuclear installations, Iran began missile attacks on US military airbases in Qatar and Iraq on Monday. Meanwhile, Iran claimed to have targeted US soldiers based at Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base on state television. 'A mighty response to America's aggression' As martial music played, a caption on the screen described it as 'a mighty and successful response' to 'America's aggression.' According to an Iraqi security officer who spoke to The Associated Press, Iran also attacked the Ain al-Assad facility in western Iraq that houses American forces. Since the official was not permitted to make public comments, they talked on condition of anonymity. The strikes happened soon after Qatar closed its airspace in response to Iranian threats. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian posted on the social media site X just before the explosions: "We neither initiated the war nor seeking it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer.'
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Business Standard
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
The Pentagon Pizza Index: How pizza orders may predict global crises
It's not an intelligence leak or satellite feed. It's not even a diplomatic whisper. It's pizza. A fresh slice of conspiracy or perhaps insight is doing the rounds again. This time, it's tied to the escalating Israel-Iran tensions. And at the heart of it? A quirky, yet strangely compelling indicator known as the 'Pentagon Pizza Index'. On the evening of June 12, an unusual spike in pizza delivery activity was reportedly observed near the Pentagon, the five-sided nerve centre of the US Department of Defense. According to the X account 'Pentagon Pizza Report', which tracks open-source data on local pizza spot activity, four pizzerias—We, The Pizza, Domino's, District Pizza Palace, and Extreme Pizza—saw a sharp rise in orders just before 7 pm ET. 'As of 6:59 pm ET nearly all pizza establishments nearby the Pentagon have experienced a HUGE surge in activity,' the account posted. Hours later, Israel launched a surprise military operation targeting Iranian nuclear and missile facilities. The proximity of events fuelled speculation—and reignited the theory that a sudden surge in pizza orders near key US military installations often signals a looming geopolitical flashpoint. A theory baked over decades While it might sound like something out of a Netflix thriller, the idea has roots going back to the Cold War. Soviet spies reportedly tracked late-night pizza deliveries around Washington, suspecting it reflected heightened military readiness. They even coined a term for it: Pizzint—short for 'pizza intelligence'. As Frank Meeks, the former owner of 43 Domino's outlets in Washington, told the Los Angeles Times in 1991: 'The news media doesn't always know when something big is going to happen because they're in bed, but [pizza] deliverers are out there at 2 in the morning.' He pointed to one particular night—August 1, 1990—when the CIA ordered a record 21 pizzas. Hours later, Iraq invaded Kuwait, triggering the Gulf War. CNN's then-Pentagon correspondent, Wolf Blitzer, even reportedly said, 'Bottom line for journalists: Always monitor the pizzas.' Fast forward to now, and the tradition continues, albeit through the lens of digital breadcrumbs. The Pentagon Pizza Report uses tools like Google Maps' 'Popular Times' feature to spot traffic spikes at pizzerias around Arlington County, Virginia. The June 12 data? It came just before 'Operation Rising Lion', Israel's major military move. What the experts say Alex Selby-Boothroyd, Head of Data Journalism at The Economist, also gave the theory a nod on LinkedIn, writing, 'The Pentagon Pizza Index has been a surprisingly reliable predictor of seismic global events—from coups to wars—since the 1980s.' Still, officials are understandably cautious about endorsing pizza-fuelled predictions. When asked by Fox Business, the US Department of Defense said it had 'nothing to offer' on the matter. A Pentagon spokesperson further told Newsweek that the activity observed by Pentagon Pizza Report did "not align with the events" and reminded the public that there are 'many pizza options available inside the Pentagon, also sushi, sandwiches, donuts, coffee, etc".
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Did pizza orders predict US strike on Iran? Social media account spots surge near Pentagon; alerts surfaced just before Trump confirmed bombing
Representative Image A spike in pizza orders outside the Pentagon on Saturday night led a quirky social media account to suggest that something big was about to happen. Turns out, they were right. The Pentagon Pizza Report is an online page that has gained attention for tracking food delivery trends near US military hubs. The page flagged 'HIGH activity' at a Papa John's near the Pentagon shortly before US President Donald Trump confirmed that American warplanes had bombed three nuclear sites in Iran. Less than an hour after the pizza traffic alert, Trump posted on his Truth Social account that the US military had launched a successful strike on Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, which are three key locations linked to Iran's nuclear enrichment programme. 'A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow,' Trump wrote. 'Thank you for your attention to this matter.' The account repeated the MAGA chief's words in a follow-up post, saying, 'Thank you for your attention to this matter.' Adding to the buzz, the same page noted 'abnormally low activity levels' at Freddie's Beach Bar, a well-known place near the Pentagon often mentioned in such posts. 'Classic indicator for potential overtime at the Pentagon,' the account said, suggesting that the quiet night could mean people were working late or something important was going on. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Jolie-Pitt Family Expresses Support For Shiloh's Change Drivepedia Undo At around 9:36pm Eastern Time, about half an hour before Trump's national address, the account also noted a 'HUGE traffic surge' at the Domino's near MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. This base is home to CENTCOM, the US military command that oversees operations in the Middle East. Trump, in his evening remarks, warned Iran of future consequences if it continued its hostile actions. 'Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace,' he said. 'If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.' The Pentagon Pizza Report became known earlier when it correctly guessed the timing of Israel's June 12 strikes on Iran, reports Fox News. The account mixes humour with analysis and has gained a small following for its unusual but sometimes accurate way of tracking military activity by watching fast-food orders.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pentagon pizza account reported high activity before Israel's attack on Iran
WASHINGTON − Before Israel launched its top-secret attack on Iran, a viral social media account tracking pizza shop activity around the Pentagon predicted something was underway. Israel launched a military operation targeting Iran's nuclear program on the evening of June 12, with airstrikes on military and nuclear sites. Amid indications that Israel was preparing a strike, someone outside the world of classified intelligence saw it − or something − coming. 'As of 6:59 pm ET nearly all pizza establishments nearby the Pentagon have experienced a HUGE surge in activity,' the account Pentagon Pizza Report posted on X on June 12, pointing to We The Pizza, Domino's Pizza, District Pizza Palace and Extreme Pizza. The account then posted a follow up tweet saying that these locations had a 'significant drop in activity' ten minutes later. At around 10 p.m., the account shared that Freddie's Beach Bar, a gay bar near the Pentagon, had 'abnormally low traffic for a Thursday night. Potentially indicating a busy night at the Pentagon.' The Guardian reported that pizza deliveries to the Pentagon surged right before the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989 and Operation Desert Storm in 1991. President Donald Trump told Reuters he knew the attacks were coming. 'We knew everything, and I tried to save Iran humiliation and death. I tried to save them very hard because I would have loved to have seen a deal worked out,' he said. Israel has been warning for more than a decade it would attack Iran's nuclear program and energy facilities if they reached a stage where they could be weaponized. The two countries are longtime foes. Contributing: Kim Hjelmgaard, Davis Winkie, Francesca Chambers, and Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Did pizza tracker on social media predict Israel's attack on Iran?
