I don't go to Fuddruckers, but I love that it is there, along with the rest of those national chains. All of the wailing and hand wringing about development driving out small businesses and indeed "character" itself (whetever the freak that is when one is talking about crappy bodegas and stores that sell thongs and sex toys, a la 7th street pre VC) is pretty much BS by non stakeholders.
I guess some people prefer pawn shops, peep shows, and reach-around bath houses to Fuddruckers...fair enough, but there are plenty of those left next door to the crappy taverns and awful diners frequented by fat cromags in bowling shirts in those atmospheric neighbourhoods in "cities with character" (at least until everything gets abandoned and it all reverts to weed-choked urban wasteland).
So bring on the chains, the more bougie the better...ka-ching!
