Marge, Helen Lovejoy, Luann Van Houten, Mrs. Skinner, Mrs. Krabappel and Maude Flanders gather for a meeting of the Springfield Investorettes. Helen points out that their investment portfolio has nearly doubled in value and suggests the group channel the profits into high-risk ventures. When a dubious Marge voices her concern, the other women expel her from the organization. Afterward, Marge tells Lisa how nice it would be to beat the Investorettes at their own game. She attends a franchise fair at the Springfield Convention Center (also attended by the Investorettes). When the other women sign-up for an intriguing Fleet-A-Pita franchise, Marge is crestfallen. But when an eager old-timer, the Pretzel Man, makes a convincing pitch regarding his franchise, Marge hands him a check.

With her family’s help, Marge produces enough pretzels to go on the road. But she soon discovers that competition from the Investorette’s Fleet-A-Pita wagon poses a serious threat to business. Unwilling to admit defeat, Marge decides to gamble the fate of the franchise by handing out free samples to baseball fans at Springfield stadium. The plan, however, backfires: instead of tasting the pretzels, fans hurl them onto the field after Mr. Burns wins a giveaway contest. The incident breaks Marge’s spirit, and she grows depressed. In attempt to shield his wife from failure, Homer reaches out to mobster Fat Tony.

Early the next day, the Simpsons’ telephone starts ringing off the hook, and Marge takes pretzel orders from across the country. Meanwhile, the Investorettes’ shipment of falafel fixings is mysteriously impounded, and their van is destroyed by a bomb. When sales from the pretzel franchise skyrocket, Fat Tony attempts to collect all of the profits. Marge, however, refuses to comply with mobster’s demands. Fat Tony instructs his goons to do Homer and Marge bodily harm. But before the order can be carried out, the Investorettes order members of the Japanese Mafia, the Yakuza, to attack Fat Tony’s men. Later, Marge tells Homer how much she loves him for trying to help with the business.