Word that a Denny’s was going to fill the space currently occupied by a car lot at the intersection of Bladensburg Road and 17th Street NE spread quickly among local internet-crawlers last Friday afternoon. But opinion about the “Moons Over My Hammy” coming to Ward 5 appears to be evenly split between those pessimistic about a piece of suburbia infringing on the outskirts of the District, and those excited about the new jobs and competition the franchise could create.

The dissonance is outlined in the comments on Frozen Tropics’ post about the news. “If this Denny’s is anything like the one on Benning Road… no thanks,” wrote one reader. “On one hand it’s great that this area can attract a national chain, but I’m all about supporting local businesses,” said one, while another said “I wish for development on Bladensburg [Road], but not this kind of boring, suburban development. We need more small, local, kitschy places with character.”

It’s still unclear what the Denny’s will look like, since permits for construction only went up a few days ago. But for what a Denny’s will lack in kitsch and character, it will bring in jobs. And as for the concerns that a Denny’s might siphon off customers from the Capital City Diner? Well, yours truly stopped by the diner on Saturday, had a dynamite Western omelette and got a sneak peek at the progress owner Matt Ashburn was making on the Diner’s in-progress backyard patio, which will feature a decent-sized bar, tables for outdoor dining, and a kegerator. I’ll go out on a limb and predict that Cap City will do just fine — and, frankly, could probably stand to benefit from an influx of ravenous breakfast-seekers right down the street.