The quirky yet enduring “Pentagon Pizza Index” entered the spotlight again when rumors of Donald Trump’s death went viral ordering activity near the Pentagon surged by nearly 800 % over a single weekend. 

This unconventional indicator traces its roots to the Cold War, when Soviet spies reputedly monitored pizza deliveries near U.S. government buildings like the CIA and Pentagon as a crude signal of crisis or military mobilization. Famous anecdotes include imitation spikes before the Iraq invasion of Kuwait, and even the Grenada and Panama incursions.

Today, the “Pizza Report” a social media account tracks foot traffic and takeaway activity via Google Maps near Pentagon-area eateries. Although some past spikes (e.g., before strikes on Iran) seemed to align with real events, officials remain skeptical. The Pentagon maintains its staff can access in-house options like sushi, sandwiches, and coffee, rendering such external orders neither necessary nor diagnostic. 

While the Pizza Index is embraced as a fascinating case of low-tech open-source intelligence part data, part folklore it remains speculative at best, more meme than military insight.