A one-day strike by fast food workers around the country last Thursday affected pizza chains like Little Caesars, Papa John's and Domino's as well as burger chains such as McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King. But it remains to be seen whether the strike will have any long-term impact on employee wages. Workers are demanding $15 an hour, which is more than double the current federal minimum wage, and the right to form unions without fear of employer retaliation. But many industry observers point out that most employment-related decisions for fast food restaurants are made at the individual franchisee level, raising doubts about the effectiveness of unionization and nationwide strikes against the chains.

Read more at PMQ.com.

Benefit from Fall Football

How can you make sure you get the most benefit from football season? Here are six moneymaking tips and suggestions. 1) Take into account all of the football games, including pro, college and high school. 2) Gather schedules for all of the games and coordinate a plan of attack. 3) Hold viewing parties with special prices on wings and pizza. 4) Give away football schedule souvenir cups with the purchase of a large soda. 5) Market your catering/tailgating services. 6) Utilize local football players in your marketing.

Find more tips at The Pizza Insider.

This Week in Pizza

Today On This Week In Pizza: Fast Food Workers Hold One-Day Strike; Searching for the Kobe Bryant of the Pizza Industry; and Pizzeria Hosts Memorable Homecoming for U.S. Soldier

Watch the video at PMQ.com.

PMQ Seeks West Coast Dough Spinners

The 2013 U.S. Pizza Team Acrobatic Trials will be held at next month's International Baking Industry Expo (IBIE) at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas. The competition, featuring top dough-spinning acrobats, will take place in PMQ's Pizza Village, a special pizza industry-related section of IBIE, along with the American Pizza Championship, a culinary contest that brings together the country's top pizza chefs. The winners of both contests win a free trip to compete in the World Pizza Championship in Parma, Italy, next spring. Team organizers are particularly interested in discovering hot new dough-spinning talent on the West Coast, so if you've got the right moves, come and try out – you could be the next Kobe Bryant of the pizza kitchen!

Read more at PMQ.com.

Pizza Without Borders
Strange Facts About Swedish Pizza

Ah, Sweden! Adorable houses, twisty modern buildings and a strong economy are the hallmark of this Scandinavian land. But what do they know about pizza? A recent visit to Malmo proved that pizza in Sweden is a highly creative business with its own unique rituals, trademarks and business models.

Read more at Pizza Without Borders.

Cash In on Gridiron Fever

Baseball may still get the credit for being "America's pastime," but, judging by attendance numbers and TV ratings, football is the country's true favorite sport. You can cash in on the gridiron fever by developing promotions aimed at fans of pro, college and even high school teams. Run a weekend special featuring a menu with pizzas or cocktails named in honor of favorite athletes. Host Fantasy Football League get-togethers at your restaurant every Sunday. You can even draw post-game crowds by offering special discounts to customers who bring in ticket stubs!