5 Reasons Tim Hortons Sucks
Posted: August 27th, 2008 | Author: RyanN | Filed under: Random | Tags: food, tim hortons | 80 Comments »For those of you unaware, Tim Hortons is an international1 coffee & donut shop co-founded by Tim Horton, a Canadian Hockey player (who died when he lost control of his 1974 Pantera at 100mph, while under the influence of alcohol and pain killers). By feeding off it’s inherently Canadian origins, combined with massive expansion, clever marketing and sponsorships Tim Hortons has managed to inject itself as key part of Canadiana – up there with Hockey Night In Canada, curling, cheap beer and The CBC.
Tim Hortons has done such an excellent job marketing their “Canadian-ness,” that many Canadians literally feel that it’s their patriotic duty to patronize the restaurant.
I am not one of those Canadians. Tim Hortons sucks!
1. Tim Hortons coffee is terrible!
A lot of Canadians hold Tim Hortons coffee in high esteem, “it’s great, like Canadian beer”. Most Canadians are probably only familiar with the “double-double” (2 shots of cream and 2 sugars). But really, almost any black coloured beverage would taste pretty OK with that much cream and sugar. I prefer my coffee black. I’ve tried to drink Tim Hortons coffee without cream or sugar, it’s completely unbearable. It actually tastes like the unbrewed grounds are just suspended in hot water.
As far as I understand, when a coffee actually tastes better with cream and sugar it indicates a cheaper bean. But, the Tim Hortons double-double has such a distinct taste, I think they’re actually trying to achieve a specific flavour profile that only works with cream and sugar. It does not taste like your standard cheap coffee bean + cream + sugar. It doesn’t exactly taste any better or worse really, just different, almost unnatural. I think this is how they convince the masses that such a poor quality product is actually “good.”
Tim Hortons’ recent foray into espresso based beverages has had even more terrifying results. My advice: just stay away.
2. Their food is hardly “always fresh”
For at least the past 15 – 20 years, Tim Hortons has used the slogan “Always Fresh.” Originally – back in the days when they were competing with mom & pop’s and truck stops – it was a guarantee that their coffee was never allowed to sit for more than 20 minutes. I’ve personally witnessed customers being served coffee older than 20 minutes, but that’s beside the point. The only thing worse than Tim Hortons coffee is Tim Hortons coffee that’s been sitting around for 30 minutes, no amount of cream and sugar can fix that.
Lately, the slogan is also being used to imply that their baked goods and food products are also always fresh. Nothing could be future from the truth. Fact is, as of 2001, Tim Hortons actually par-bakes their product in a central location in Brantford, Ontario2. Where they are then frozen and shipped to Tim Hortons stores across the world. Once they reach the store, the final touches – like fillings, sprinkles, etc – are added and the goods are baked in a highly visible oven, giving customers the impression that they’ve been make from scratch in store.
By Tim Hortons’ definition the frozen pizza I had for supper was also fresh!
The small stand-alone locations in airports, hospitals, etc are even worse. They don’t even usually contain the equipment to do the finish baking, so they have to import the products from other Tim Hortons stores.
As for their actual food – soups, sandwiches, etc – these are no more fresh than anything you would expect at any other fast food restaurant.
3. Tim Hortons is not Canadian owned
As of August 8th, 1995, Tim Hortons has been owned by the US-based Wendy’s3.
That means, buying Tim Hortons is no more Canadian than any other franchised restaurant.
As an interesting aside, the company that does the par-baking for Tim Hortons is a Irish subsidiary of a Swiss multinational4.
4. Inefficient Service
Tim Hortons seems to have a complete and utter lack of knowledge when it comes to food service efficiency. The main problem would seem to be the lack of a standard fast food assembly-line type process, combined with poor/non-standarized store layout.
Never having been an employee of Tim Hortons, I don’t know what their manul dictates. But, these observations appear to be standard partices:
- When you place an order, the same employee (“Cashier”) that enters your order and takes your money, is also responsable for preparing your order and handing it to you.
- If you’re only ordering a coffee and a donut this generally works fine – donuts and coffee makers are generally within arms reach of the cash register. Service is fairly quick.
- If the coffee maker runs out, the Cashier is responsible for refilling the beans – before bringing you your order! This obviously slows down the entire queue.
- If your order includes anything other than a coffee and a donut – like a soft drink, specialty coffee beverage, bagel, “meal,” etc, the system completely breaks down! These items are generally not within arms reach of the front counter. While the bagels and sandwiches do have dedicated crew members, the preparation stations are often in inefficient locations (depending on store layout) causing the receiving process to be somewhat awkward. Either the cashier will bring these items to you, or you are expected to wait in a cafeteria style line, or you simply wait off to the side. It’s near chaos.
- The specialty coffee beverages (iced caps, iced mochas, lattes, etc) are made by the cashier. Depending on the drink, this involves 3 to 5 steps, including stiring by hand! These stations are typically not located near the front counter. It’s not uncommon for a Cashier to take a minute or two to make these drinks.
- During peak times, when a cashier is busy compiling a customer’s order, another employee will take the cashier’s place and begin on the next customer’s order. Depending on the layout of the store and the number of employees, this can sometimes delay the simpler coffee & donut orders by causing bottlenecks around the coffee stations.
I’m not an expert on fast food restaurant efficiency. It just seems to me that Tim Hortons is one of the most inefficient fast food operations. They need to re-organize the way they handle and deliver orders.
5. Cups Are Not Recyclable5
Tim Hortons uses a wax lined cup that is only recyclable in 3 small Canadian Cities: Moncton, NB; Windsor, ON; and Owen Sound, ON6. Also, Tim Hortons cups do not contain any recycled materials.
Tim Hortons may or may not be the only chain in Canada that uses this type of cup. But they are particularly bad for 2 reasons. 1) Their annual RRRRRoll Up The Rim contest. For those of you non-Canadians, this contest involves a prize being printed on the inside of the paper cup’s rolled up rim. While the contest is running, customer “eating-in” who would normally have their coffee poured into a reusable ceramic mug are given an additional contest cup. 2) “Double-cupping” seems to be a fairly common practice at Tim Hortons across the country. This is when the Tim Hortons employee will put an additional paper cup around the first cup to insulate your hand from the hot beverage. Apparently the concept of a paper sleeve has not caught on with the Tim Hortons Brass.
Recycling and environmentalism is a way of life for many Canadians. It’s completely unacceptable for such a “Canadian” company to have such irresonsable practices.
In conclusion, Tim Hortons is anti-Canadian!!7
Footnotes:
- It’s not common knowledge that they have locations in US, Ireland and UK. Check the Wikipedia entry.
- See this press release: www.timhortons.com/en/about/news_archive_2001f.html
- CBC Archive: archives.cbc.ca/on_this_day/08/08/
- The bakery is called Maidstone Bakery. I had to dig through the internet archive to find the page: web.archive.org/web/20080115134215/http://www.wendys-invest.com/timhortons.php The parent company can be found here: www.iaws.ie I’m pretty sure this company is the subject of an AIM Trimark commercial, but that’s another blog post.
- This blog post goes into great detail: www.buzzbishop.com/blog/2008/02/25/rrroll-up-the-un-recyclable-rim/, Tim Hortons own FAQ also concedes the fact, but tries to put a positive spin on it, stating that they are working to get more recyling plants built – rather than actually doing something on their end! www.timhortons.com/en/about/faq.html
- Tim Hortons helped build this recycling plant!!! (see their FAQ linked above)
- That said, I don’t really feel that any of these points are reasons NOT to visit Tim Hortons. I just feel like Canadians need to understand that Tim Hortons is not all that great and there’s definitely nothing Canadian about it. A lot of people I know enjoy going to Tim Horton and I will continue to join them, I just choose not to visit when the choice is mine.
I also dislike Tim Hortons coffee, like you said it tastes nothing like normal coffee, this is because they don’t use 100% Arabica beans, they use a cheaper, inferior bean.
Also I’m originally from Owen Sound, but didn’t realize that facility existed. Howver Owen Sound has nine Tim Horton’s locations, which seems excessive for a city of only 20,000 people.
9 Tim Hortons, that’s like 1 for ever 2000 residents. By that math, Winnipeg should have 300+ Tim Hortons.
It’s true. Every word of it. Then again, I also dislike Tim Horton’s and laugh when people attempt to glorify it and at the same time villify Starbucks. I don’t know that I’m particularly pro-Starbucks, but they do brew a damn fine cup of coffee (I also only drink coffee black) for roughly the same price as Tim Horton’s and at least make an ATTEMPT at fair trade and ethical business practices.
i dont care i love their bagels!!!!!!!!!!
mmmmmmm
Their coffee is horrible. Easily one of the most overrated products in existence.
[...] into creating a fast food restaurant or you’re thinking about a high end establishment: . . . seems to have a complete and utter lack of knowledge when it comes to food service efficiency. The [...]
A little bit of research goes a long way.
As of September 28, 2006, Wendy’s sold their shares in Tim Hortons and Tim Hortons became a publicly traded company.
Maidstone Bakery is a joint venture between Tim Hortons and Cuisine de France (owned by IAWS which is now part of Aryzta).
Hey Vincent, what exactly is your point?
Good article Ryan. I feel much the same about Tim Hortons and hadn’t had their coffee for the longest time until recently. Unfortunately other factors have changed and much to my disappontment Tim Hortons is the best coffee I can get when I’m not at home!
I’m glad someone else is putting these issues out there, the “Always Fresh” and recycling issues are a big thing in mind, people need to know about them, too many Canadians remain “blissfully” unaware of this.
I think you all have way too much time on your hands. And this original post is very obviously authorized by someone who has some grudge against Tim Hortons. I think their coffee is great and it is obvious that a majority of people do too or they would not be so successful.
By “someone who has some grudge against Tim Hortons” do you mean, “someone who has taste buds”?
I gave my 2 weeks notice after 2 weeks working there. I was shocked when I learned about their wasteful practices. Absolutely nothing is fresh over there and look how much waste is generated! Coffee is the only remotely fresh product but it comes in a sack. The worst one is the chili: It comes in a bag that you boil in water (fortunately I didn’t stay long enough to do that). And it makes me sick to see all the brainwashed people working there. And having to wear a cap indoors is also a brainwashing tool because you accept to bear the piece of crap logo on your forehead. Seeing how vain of a person I am, the clothes you had to wear and the repetitive nature of the work made me look like a zombie at the end of my shift.
[...] working Oct.13, 2008 in Google, Random, Site News My 5 Reasons Tim Hortons Sucks article is showing up as #2 on Google (on average), for the keywords “tim hortons [...]
TIM HORTONS is amazing
p.s there cups ARE recyclable
@Samantha
What makes you think Tim Hortons cups are recyclable?
I’m so happy I found this website! I thought I was losing my mind when I turned my nose up at a cup of Timmyhos coffee. In 2007 I unfortunately found myself spending most of my time at the Victoria General Hospital visiting my dying mother, coffee and food was a necessity! The ONLY option I had (without leaving the hospital) was a Tim Hortons located in the hospital lobby. I ordered a cup, wasn’t actually allowed to put my own sugar in it…. that pissed me off, then when I tasted the coffee I dam near gagged, it was the most disgusting coffee I ever had. I had also made the mistake of purchasing one of those fresh sandwiches. I would have been better off just taking my $12 and throwing it in the garbage because that’s where the coffee and the sandwich ended up.
Needless to say, I got my coffee at a Chevron prior to coming to the hospital from then on.
Oh! I forgot to mention, the reason I found this website was because I was searching for the Coffee maker that Tim Hortons sells, I liked the fact that it’s instant hot water and brewing time is not long. Thanks to Ryan and this information I will be buying a BUNN Coffee maker!
@ C Nelson
If you want really amazing coffee, and a cheap coffee maker, stick with a French Press. Once you get the portions down right, best coffee you’ll ever taste.
I only recommend that you spend a bit on a coffee grinder, which of course implies that you buy coffee beans and grind them yourself. Keeps everything much fresher.
Tim Horton’s is like a 4 star restaurant to those who line up for their crappy,overpriced coffee and revolting,inedible food,day after day,week after week.
I mean,waiting in line at 7:30 in the morning for 20 mins for the substandard fare…it can only mean that the masses never get out,except to Tim’s,and by eating their excessively priced,cardboard/masking tape flavored food,must think it is the best stuff they’ve ever tasted….it boggles my mind how anyone could eat their hard,small,rudimentary,expensive sandwiches again and again. Someone bought me one once for lunch and I was so dissapointed in what $7 got me..I cannot understand what the attraction is. People must like crap!
Fresh! definitely not! Convenient, yes. This is the only marketing that keeps them in business. Licence to print Canadian money (which much of it leaves Canada) for the owners and franchise, without a care for the employees.
Today, I will start my legal campaign against the unfair treatment that I have been a practice of, and have seen many people abused at many Tim Horton’s.
Many employees that work at Tim Horton’s do not know how to protect themselves against a giant like this. Well I am 37 years old ex business executive that decided to too take a job at a local Tim Horton’s store from looking at there wonderful adds at what a great working environment that Tim Horton’s provides. I followed all the rules set out in there training administered by TDL Group. My story it seems has just started. The outcome of this story will be decided in the future.
I am no longer an employee.
alright,
as a customer and employee, I have to say…
1) How are we supposed to stir your drinks?
2) coffee at the tim hortons i work at is always 20mins. fresh
3)Tim Horton was never under the influence and wasn’t on pain killers when he died.
Our coffee tastes fine, we have many customers who drink it black, and most of us who work there check that it is 20 minutes fresh. If they paid more, and rude customers didn’t scare off the new kids, service might not suck so bad, but training at tim hortons is not adequate, and employees quit very often, we have new employees aren’t as fast. Some of our sandwitches are good, but aren’t fresh, and I have felt sick after eating mushroom soup and the chicken club. The mushroom soup is aweful, and I we are doing customers a favour when we run out. The worst thing about the job is that some of the people who complain to me because they think I can change how bad our store sucks. It is an international company, I can’t change our store, complain to somebody with authority.
im 15 almost 16 and i dont drink coffe so i cannot disagree or agree with you on how bad the coffee is. I’ve been working at Timmys for about a month now and i really understand your inefficiency points. However, i find it somewhat ridiculous whn you write something like “The specialty coffee beverages (iced caps, iced mochas, lattes, etc) are made by the cashier. Depending on the drink, this involves 3 to 5 steps, including stiring by hand!”
stop for a second, look back and please tell me why complaining about a cashier taking 3 to 5 steps is correct.
thats all
thanks
@rmcrae
Huh? I meant that it’s a 3 – 5 step process, not that the cashier has to take 3 – 5 steps.
Strong marketing and updating of buildings has made Tim’s the largest coffee chain in Canada. They’ve managed to destroy any competition, like Robbin’s, Coffee Time etc…That’s why there is a constant stream of vehicles in every Tim’s drive through. I agree with the comments about the quality of their products…..a survey has proven that even McDonald’s coffee rated higher than Tim’s. Their baked goods arrive to each shop frozen. Their breakfast tastes like cardboard. Marketing is a strong tool and you don’t have to have the best tasting product to generate huge sales. Does McDonald’s have the the best tasting burgers?
Tim’s needs some competition. They have a monopoly in the coffee industry in Canada.
Bunch of whiners, lol. The taste of Hortons coffee depends on the location. It’s that simple. There are a few in my area that brew it perfectly. The rest make dishwater or acid.
Starbucks is the most overrated product EVER. And talk about overpriced. I brew my own coffee at home using organic beans, s I know good tasting java. Starbucks is vile, no matter the location. And it’s even worse when it’s been sitting in their plastic carafes, getting lukewarm. Yuk.
Most people base all their opinions on what they hear other people say or one single experience. I don’t trust what any of the complainers here say, that’s for sure! Their sandwiches are awesome, too, btw. If you don’t like them, make your own. Simple, eh?
@RyanN
I like tea.
Okay so I feel personally offended by this comment.I happened to have come accross this blog as I was searching for ideas for my scholarship essay PROVIDED BY THE STORE. Of course the store is run by mostly teenagers and we often complain it is a good, stable enviornment. The worst thing about my job is jerks like you thinking that their better than the workers and thinking their the king or queen of coffee. Let me tell you something, you are not. If i gave you two samples of coffee, most people could not tell the difference. These kids wake up early to give you snobs what you want and no one ever says thank you.
And about the cashier comment, on a usual, steady day there are 3 people per station,
anyways im not going to rant anymore, so you know what, go to overrated coffee shops , believe me us teenagers don’t wantt to serve you snobs anyways.
Timmy’s is great because the coffee is not kept for more than 20 minutes. If it is not sold, it is thrown out and a fresh pot is made to sell.
If you have had a poor quality cup of coffee than you should report it so that Tim Horton’s can look into the problem. I have had it black, double double and every which way. it is great.
I too have experienced a bad cup of coffee on a rare occasion. Also, while I travel i noticed that there is a diffence in flavor from city to city. I think it might be the difference in the water from different areas.
ima timmys employee for 3 years and i agree NOTHING is FRESH ever , worst service ever i swear
All fast food joints are sub-par these days. Mostly run by brain dead teens who don’t give a fuck and are only there to hang out and get a few extra bucks.They used to be half decent way back in the 80’s when people gave a fuck about guilty and service.Tim Horton’s is a rip off with there small ass sandwiches and frozen soups and why people love there coffee so much I’ll never know fer fuck sakes it’s strong enough that you can use it to degrease an engine. For me personally a cup of Joe at home in the mourn bets them any day.
Well Iam just writting to clear a few things up…. Our soups for one are not all frozen, and this is pretty gross some are freeze dried. Our chili comes in army food style and we add water. Our donuts and all our other food in made in Peterbouro, frozen then shipped to us. Our donuts, sandwich buns and bagels are the only things that come in pre cooked everything else is actually baked in out stores with the exception of satellite stores being the ones in hospitals or drive thru only which have food brought to them by stores that are like 5 min drive away. Some people really do hate the taste of startbucks, country style, olivers, dunkin donuts or whatever just the same as people really hate the taste of tim hortons and to be honest I don’t really like coffee at all but if I were to have a cup I would prefer tim hortons or folgers. Also I would like to point out that not every tim hortons is a terrible working environment, I myself have worked at four separate locations and three out of four were pretty terrible but the one I work at now is amazing with great management and great rewards just for showing up and doing your job, and some of those mindless drones you might see are there only to get a paycheck and they really hate what they are doing but some of the teenages working for tim hortons are the best employees simply because they are young and full of life, they don’t get tired and they truly love the interaction with the customers. I think I will stop there for now simply because I have to go work in my lovely tim hortons.
The author of this article could not be more correct, whoever you are, I’d like to marry your brain
haters! Tim Hortons is sufficient, in fact its amazing, why are you trying to prove otherwise, way to go that you have like 5 arguements..
I just wanted to say that I love this site
It gets worse in the UK the do-nuts are fucking terrible when they are defrosted all the toppings fall off them, the coffee machines are wank and the company at the moment are making staff all over the world redundant just like the bastards made me 3 months ago, All IAWS/Tim Hortons staff watch your backs as they have not finished getting rid of staff just yet~!!!!!!
Ryan, aside from not being able to spell, and not having the ability to intelligently put grammatical structure together, you also have no taste buds if you like Starbucks burnt coffee. Having been involved in the restaurant coffee and donut business, and having several family and friends working for one or another Tim Hortons, I can categorically state that although there is fact in your blog, inherently, it is not “factual”. It is your opinion. Most of the facts in your blog are twisted to reflect your point of view. Tim Hortons does, in fact, use quality coffee beans, and I will admit that they are NOT fair trade. When one purchases a gazillion pounds of coffee, it is seldom fair trade. As far as fresh, the Tim Hortons chain strives for 20 minute fresh coffee. What an individual store does in your individual neighborhood is a concern, but cannot be totally controlled. As to the freshness of their food product? Well, even though I agree that it is not as good as it could be, it is fresh in the “NEW” meaning of the word, as in freshly reconstituted from frozen. A&P, Loblaws, Sobeyes and Safeway as well as all the others with in-store bakeries are producing fresh bread and bakery products this way also. It is the new “ultra efficient” method of consistent quality. Consistence is more important than excellence in todays market. You have some very good points, but again, they are presented much too strongly. They show, without doubt, that you do have “an iron in the fire”. You want bad coffee – try Mother Whoevers in your average neighborhood breakfast nook. I also drink my coffee black, and am not particularly fond of Tim Hortons taste, as I home roast, freshly grind and brew right here in my kitchen. I DO use a BUNN/Tim Hortons brewer for drip coffee, and have a french press, an Aeropress, an on stove Bialetti java pot and a Gaggia espresso machine, among twelve or fourteen styles that I have here to select from, with three coffee grinders, so I never need to reset one to have the grind for what I am making. I think I might know a little about coffee, and the reason Tim Hortons is so successful is because those who buy their coffee, like their coffee. This has nothing to do with your specific taste likes or dislikes. You are only one person. Your voice can be heard, and soldiers of Canada, who have a Tim Hortons outlet in Afghanistan, are dying for your right to have your voice heard. They like the coffee too.
I randomly found this when i was actually looking for a number to call about Tim Hortons always fair program. I’ve been working there for two or three weeks now. I wouldn’t exactly say our food is fresh. We don’t make everything from scratch of raw food. That’s fresh to me. And they have a huge thing that if you work there we do not discriminate and are very diverse. If we’re diverse why is my monroe piercing a problem? Their website says they hire “diverse backgrounds, perspectives, styles and characteristics” It can’t be a health violation if ear piercings are allowed? I don’t get it. I’m thinking about leaving.
Tim Hortons is very successful because of its quality and eficient service at their locations.
They put a lot of efforts in training the employees and as a customer I see that.
My advise to you guys is to find somthing better to do and stop pointing fingers at Tim Hortons.
What has discrimination to do with piersing.
Why can’t you find Tim Horton coffee beans anywhere? Second cup, Starbucks, Timothy’s etc, all sell their beans. Why not Timmies? Is it true they are filled with additives and fillers? Is it all real coffee. Sometimes when I open my cup I feel like I am enhaling nicotine. Doesn’t happen with Home brew. Don’t get me wrong. I do like my Tim’s. Just makes you wonder….where are those beans????
Great site. Just to add… talking to the ladies at the local Tim’s… the working conditions are atrocious. I notice they are usually understaffed and overworked. I feel sorry for these workers who work harder than I ever would or had to and they get paid minimum wage to do it also. Then they tell me that since the tills were short lately that management has decided to keep their gratuities until all shortages are repaid. Since I know that surveillance cameras installed in most fast food establishments not only record continuously but provide a time stamped, detailed, on screen report of each and every transaction as they are interfaced with the cash register it seems to me that if are so many shortages management should easily be able to figure out where the problems are. Just too lazy? Or are the poorly paid and trained managers just taking the tips for themselves as no accounting of the amount of the shortages or the tips is ever given to the employees. Shame on Tim’s for being so petty as to screw over employees who willingly come to work at minimum wage rather than join the welfare ranks. When I give a tip to a server it is meant as a gratuity for the service provided. Not to bolster the bottom line of a profitable foreign company.
Everything said here is 100% true. I live in NY, USA. We have Tim Hortons here. I know it’s all true because I worked there up until today. It is disgusting how much waste one of these stores makes in a day. Customers are always rude. Management is terrible, I was treated like crap working there. They kept telling me I wasn’t smiling enough. Even when I was smiling like my fucking life depended on it. So many people have told me that NONE of the workers are smiling when they go in there, so why were they picking on me? Most of their food is unsafe to eat. Their chicken is litterally rubber,and processed. the soups come in a big plastic bag and they are submerged into really hot water to cook/heat up. Imagine all of the chemicals from the plastic that leak into the soup, eww. This place contradicts itself all the time. I have never had a problem at a job like what I was given at tim hortons. I have never been treated so horribly by an employer, or with such utter un-professionalism. Some people will have good experiences and some bad, but plain and simple, I just had a bad one. I didn’t do anything wrong there. I was an honest, and hard working employee and no matter what I did, it was never enough for those people. There are too many details to even get into, but I will just say that it was the worst job I ever had.
People like low quality garbage. If your idea of a good sandwich is “Subway”, and a good beer is “Molson Canadian” – you have pretty low standards. When in Vancouver I had great coffee at “Cafe Artigiano”. If you want a nice beer, visit Montreal’s “Dieu du Ciel” brewpub. A good sandwich – try “Schwartz Deli” in Montreal! Working in the Toronto financial district, I find it unbelievably hard to find a cup of fresh roasted (same day) coffee. Stop supporting all of these massive corporations – stop at your local deli, coffee shop and help someone who is part of your community grow their business!
I used to be a religious Timmy customer but since they got bought out by a US company, the service and quality has gone below that of MacDonalds even.
The people who work there should not be legally allowed to breed. Most of the Vancouver Tim Hortons employ illegal aliens who couldn’t pronounce or spell Coffee let alone make a decent cup.
They actually drove me to independent coffee stores now, I hate TH with a passion and will never buy from them again.
Every time I place a simple order at Tim Horton’s I force the line to come to a screeching halt, and the line-up behind me just grows and trails out the door, I find it funny. Their new latte’s are good, at least it’s made with natural ingredients. The main reason I dislike TH is because of all the additives and chemicals in their products, many of which are cancer causing. Their hot chocolate is full of chemical shit. I wish the public was more aware of what they are actually consuming. I also find it a joke that they charge for tea based on cup size. It’s not based on the cost of the cup as they routinely double cup orders. I also don’t get why they don’t reduce garbage by using cup sleeves. It’s idiotic. As for their food I like the wraps even if it’s pre-formed processed chicken strips. Also the bagels are okay for a quick snack. The one good thing about TH is that you can linger in their coffee shops forever without getting hassled or kicked out. Also I like that they are open 24.7 and are located almost everywhere. It’s a tradition now to eat here when I’m at Canadian airports especially as they don’t gouge customers by inflating their airport location prices apart from bottled water prices. It’s also nice to grab a sandwich to go for the flight. So all in all I wish TH well and hope they continue to thrive but they should focus on serving higher quality actually fresh products. However the bulk of their customers go there because it’s cheap so I can see how they can’t exactly serve the best quality, healthy food as it costs more.
Oh and comparing it to Starbucks, most of the Starbucks baked goods are all full of artificial flavours and cheap, unhealthy fats. It’s just packaged prettily and costs more so people think it’s a quality product but it isn’t. Check the ingredients list online. The one baked good I love at TH is the chocolate danish, it reminds me of the pastries I found in Europe. Some coffee shops in Europe sell freshly baked from frozen pastries and I think TH is sourcing from those companies. TH chocolate danish puff pastry is flakey, buttery and contains more of a bittersweet chocolate filling, warmed up this is a delicious treat, like a pain au chocolate.
YALL DO NOT EVEN KNOW TIM HORTONS IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TRUE DAT
2 extra details:
from their own site—
“Tim Hortons Inc. is a U.S.-domiciled company with significant operations in Canada. Dividends paid to Canadian and other non-U.S. holders of our stock are generally subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax. The rate of withholding tax on dividends paid to Canadian residents pursuant to the Canada-U.S. Income Tax Convention is generally 15.0%.”
from Wickipedia—
“Although litter is not a problem caused by Tim Hortons, it appears to be a problem wherever a franchise is opened up. Disposable cups produced by the company are one of the most common litter items in Canada. Company spokespersons claim that irresponsible customers are the problem, not Tim Hortons. Yet their cups show up as litter in direct proportion to the number of Tim Hortons outlets nearby”
I bleed coffee, I work night shift and coffee is my life force. I have been brewing, grinding, and searching for the better part of my life, I have tried so many different kinds of coffee it makes my head spin. I agree with some of the comments about the cream and sugar, you can make any type of coffee sludge taste good with cream and sugar. If you are going to judge anytype of coffee, I think you have to drink it black before you can make a judgment. I like my coffee stronger, and I usually bought at mcdonalds when I was on the go, until I found Tim Hortons. I absolutly love it. I have never had a problem with the service, and every cup I have ever had has been great, unlike mcdonalds, and starbucks, which I felt was a gamble everytime I would go there. There are so many different kinds and tastes of coffee, and I think that not one single kind of coffee can please everybody, it all depends on how you like your coffee. Before I was a coffee drinker, I hated it, I thought it all tasted like dishsoap, and now I love it, so it all depends on the persons taste. I think that if you would research many fast food companies you will find many that are more wastful, and have much worse service. I have been stuck at taco bell so many times, I have waited forever at burger king, and mcdonalds always screws up my order. As for the comment about not getting the Tim Hortons coffee maker and getting a Bunn instead, Tim’s coffee maker is a Bunn, and also they do sell their beans, I grind them everymorning at home, and it is delicous, and Mcdonalds is said to have great coffee, but where are their beans? They won’t even say what kind of coffee they use. There is speculation, but nothing for sure. The bottem line is, if you don’t like Tim’s coffee then stop your whining and go to your coffee store of choice, I could say the same thing about Star bucks, I loathe Star bucks with my every being, but I havn’t made a hate website on it, I just do not go there.
Ha.Ryan why don’t you open up a fast food & coffee shop combo you seem to have all the answers good luck dumbo
I just started working there and have barely survived 5 shifts. I was trained for one day by a 3 day old trainee and then my second day expected to know what i was doing alone. Then I get yelled at by the supervisor so loudly when i accidentally let a miniscule amount of cream drip on the counter that a few customers got up and left. My schedule is irratic and i cant just get up and leave my classes to go to work like they demand. It is so horrible, it may not be so bad if any of the coworkers were somewhat civil, if there is a mistake made, they are always quick to pass the buck whether or not you were even there that day and you still get in trouble. The coffee making system is messed up and to expect someone to be able to do cashier, get sandwiches and donuts, make coffee and ice caps, within 30 seconds then hop up and help the next person for 9 hours a day for minimum wage? Its far to abusive for such little money.
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I have work at Tim Hortons for a little under a year now.
) ). As for donuts and baked goods (with the exception of breakfast items), our production book states that as soon as you pull it out of the oven, it is “fresh” for 8 hours. Some for 12 hours, some for 24. And again, they dont even last that long (Even the plain donuts sell out faster than we can deal with a seemingly never ending line of customers). Yes, the layout and method of service IS kind of messed up, but thats how its set by the “big man” at TDL. Especially when we are serverly under staffed…I’m the only teenage guy there who wasn’t scared off 
And I must say, i COMPLETELY disagree. Our location is one of the busiest in our district (still the best, service/quality wise). But even our DECAF coffee wont sit on a burner for 20 minutes. Everything gets used up as fast as we can make it (kind of annoying, really
Hey Ryan, as an employee of Tim Horton’s I agree with most of your points. I find our coffee to be very weak tasting. I personally will not touch it, it tastes like brown water to me. Same thing for country style, and on the other end of the scale I find Starbucks coffee too strong. So I brew my own coffee at home.
I really really wish we had a “coffee only” line. However, people who were ordering more than coffee would just end up lining there, and it would probably get even more complicated.
When we have enough staff there will be one coffee maker and one cashier on storefront, but often the owners are VERY cheap and routinely understaff stores. Then we get in shit when our line doesn’t move fast
Especially when people get $20 or $30 orders on a regular basis. I don’t mind doing big orders at all, I just don’t like customers who are rude to me about it. What am I supposed to do if someone orders ten ice capps and some sandwiches? I have to get them, then often I will have to withhold my anger when the next customer complains. Sigh. I don’t even mix ice capps for very long- about 8 seconds or so on the highest speed, so that it’s fairly well mixed but doesn’t take forever. Head office says we have to mix them for 17 seconds. The afternoon shift manager actually makes you set a 17-second timer each time you make an iced capp.
What’s most annoying is drive-thru. Head office tells us we need to a 20 second average for cars. However, people often order three or four sandwiches and a bunch of specialty drinks. Even if there’s 6 people doing everything it is simply impossible to make it all in 20 seconds. But guess what? Our drive thru average is 28 seconds, which TO ME sounds pretty damn good when you factor in all the time consuming goods, but the owner will yell at our manager because it’s too long. Then the manager yells at us, because she’s stressed out and doesn’t want to get in trouble. The truth is we all do our very best. My manager has actually told me that she’s had nightmares about work.
Oh, and customers often add sandwiches AT THE WINDOW, even if we asked them “is that everything?” This is long after we’ve already made the next 3-4 orders! This is a big pain in the ass, but we’re not allowed to refuse any additions to orders, so we have to
@ whoever said our coffee has nicotine: That’s an urban legend, it’s just coffee that comes ground up in a packet. It USED to have chicory (sp?) which can make the coffee more addictive but it’s nothing like nicotine! And it doesn’t contain it any more. McDonalds coffee has chicory now, though.
@ those who say the coffee isn’t fresh- if you go to a busy Tim Horton’s, or a Tim Horton’s during peak hours, I can GUARANTEE that a pot of coffee doesn’t sit on the burner for more than ten minutes before it’s used up. When it’s really busy in the morning we don’t have time to write down the times on our pots, so it might look like we’re trying to cheat you but we’re not. Now, if you go to a quiet location at night, depending on the staff the coffee might be really old. That’s unacceptable.
I used to work a third shift at a country style and I would ALWAYS dump out a pot after 30 minutes. I dumped out a lot of pots
However many employees are not so religious about it.
@ Mia: We DO base our price on the cup size. The only reason we don’t charge a customer for getting a tea double-cupped is because it’s kind of ridiculous to charge someone for not wanting to burn their hands! The cup is the bulk of the cost; the tea is only hot water and… tea, which is very cheap in bulk amounts. The cups cost about 20-50 cents each when we order them, though. Then we also have to pay for utilities/operation of the store and our employees. I do not know why we don’t use sleeves.
I agree that Tim Hortons cups should be made recyclable, or that we should open up more recycling plants. However, the amount of litter produced by Tim Horton’s customers is astounding, and it is absolutely unfair to blame the company for it. There’s four garbage cans outside our building, two on drive thru and two by the doors, and two garbage cans in the dining area. If someone tosses their coffee cup on the ground it’s because they’re lazy! There’s also a gigantic sign on our drive thru that says “Please do not litter” or something like that (I don’t remember the exact phrasing).
@ Mike in Vancouver:
“The people who work there should not be legally allowed to breed. Most of the Vancouver Tim Hortons employ illegal aliens who couldn’t pronounce or spell Coffee let alone make a decent cup.”
Wow, you’re totally not bigoted! Yes, let’s admonish some fast food workers because english isn’t their first language. Obviously if someone doesn’t speak or write english well they must be stupid! (That’s sarcasm, in case someone doesn’t get it.) And heaven forbid that someone tries to start a life in a country that’s better off than their home. Canada is by no means perfect or free of corruption, but it’s a lot better than a lot of places, and if someone is willing to bring their skills and their work ethic to a foreign country, and provide a valuable service to its citizens, then they should be able to! No one wants to work at Tim Hortons, but often, especially now, people run out of options and they have to resort to minimum wage work. It’s shitty but it’s HONEST WORK that PAYS HONESTLY- it doesn’t pay much, but for many people (including me) it’ll pay for your rent, or your groceries. Now of course we don’t live in condos; I used to live in a shitty basement apartment but I was DAMN proud that I had managed to move out on my own and pay for all my expenses by myself by working a full-time and a part-time job in the food services industry. I know a lot of people who work at tim hortons while they go to school, because they are UNABLE to get a better job UNTIL they get an education!
I used to work for some people who were extremely intelligent and university-educated. However, when they immigrated to Canada- from Baghdad, which used to be a nice place but is obviously inhospitable now- they couldn’t find work that used their education and had to resort to owning a coffee shop. They were the best people I’ve worked for.
I used to think that Timmoes was great. Then I got a job there. I have been there four days and am already considering leaving. It was only my second day when they had started switching my shifts without telling me. I can honestly say that I fear for the health of the people who eat there. Today I had an eight hour shift and I only made two pots of decaf and one pot of steeped tea. I suggested getting rid of it but the manager told me not to worry. Nothing there is ever fresh. You may not be able to see it but behind the counter is safety hazard after safety hazard.
Our location is really bad at keeping workers. The person who trained me has been working there for three weeks. We have so little space behind the counters that we are constantly running into each other.
I personally find it incredibly hard to cash, get donuts, brew coffee, make coffee, and smile at the same time. One group came in today and ordered a sixty dollar meal, and that was after ten minutes if arguing about what to get. Thang god they were the only ones in the store. I have found that either the costomers don’t know what they want even if they have been in line for ten minutes or they rattle off their order so fast and they glare at you when you ask them to slow down and repeat what they said. I do have to admit, as long as it isn’t in the rush periods, most people are fine with you being slow on cash because you are new.
One thing I do find annoying is that almost everyone on my shift is Korean and so communicate to each other in Korean. I don’t speak Korean and the older women get annoyed when I don’t jump to follow orders I have no hope of understanding. Though I did just start taking orders from customers in French and even talking to the rest of the staff in French (only one other person speaks French according to the manager and she is on vacation).
Hey guys if you don’t like the coffee they put out then go do something about it and don’t sit here and whine like a 5 year old child.
Timmy’s is the best coffee in the world. I am a total addict of Tim’s yes, DD. I spend 100.00 a month easily on their coffee. And now they are down in the States also. Too bad can’t get shares with Tim’s we would all be ritch-lol.
Woot, woot Timmy’s rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“It actually tastes like the unbrewed grounds are just suspended in hot water.”
—this is how I’ve been trying to describe it all along
But the best I could ever come up with was that to me, it tastes like chicken leftovers brewed into milk that’s been flavoured with coffee sprinkles.
anyone who eats or drinks tim hortons crap , there taste buds are shot or there mommy raised them on mcdonalds food, tim horton is the waste , people are like sheep to buy that overprised frozen crap
I’m from the UK and I always look forward to a cup of hot double double when I land at Pearson. I accept that its not fine stuff that I might have in Milan or Hanoi (yes Vietnam) but it has a homely, winter, feel that does wonders in the cold months.
I wish we had Tim Horton’s stores over here rather than the crappy Timmy’s machines we get in some convenience stores.
As for the other points mentioned about Timmy’s, I’ve not done any research but even if they are correct it wont stop me buying Timmy’s.
1) I like their coffee.
2) I dont eat their food – well sometimes the breakfast sandwiches which are expected to be crap.
3) I don’t care if its owned by Aliens from Mars – Canada is the only place I can regularly find it so in my mind its Canadian.
4) I always get served within 3 minutes (and I’m usually in the financial district of Downtown Toronto)
5) I guess I would prefer that their cups were recycleable but does it even if they were made from plutonium coated lead I would still drink it.
In conclusion, Timmy’s is awesome. I hope they export it and embrace globalization.
For the record, Thomas Dickleson, you shouldn’t be criticizing Ryan’s grammar, given that you split an infinitive in your opening line.
timmies sucks, i wont give them a dime, DO PEOPLE REALLY NEED A HORTONS ON EVERY FRICKIN CORNER, SOME CORNERS HAVE 2 FOR GOD SAKES, AND I REALLY LIKE SEEING PEOPPLE LINED UP ON A MAJOR ROAD WAITING TO GET THERE STUPID COFFEE, IF I WERE A COP ID FINE EVERYBODY PARKED ON THE ROAD, MCDONALDS COFFEE IS BETTER AND CHEAPER, IF COFFEE IS GOOD YUO DONT NEED A PAIL OF SUGAR AND MILK TO DRINK IT – BARF
I am done with Tim Hortons…..they always overcharge for the beverage that you order and it is never…never made to order……milk means MILK….not CREAM……the last three times i’ve ordered everything bagel with herb and garlic cream cheese i got a plain bagel with plain cream cheese, three different locations. Also, the last four times I went there they always overcharged….$400 for 2 medium black coffees….come on….today i just let it go, never bothered to tell them the difference, I’m done with them…..I know you don’t need a very high level of education to work at Tim Hortons but come one…..a five year old could deliver better service.
I have been to Tim Hortons locations in the U.S. where sleeves are provided for the cups. The sleeves even have the Tims logo on them.
@NJam101 Interesting. I wonder why they don’t use those north of the border.
First of all I LOVE Tim Hortons. Today I drove 2 hours to reach the closest one to where I was going. There were 3 of us and we all wanted the breakfast sandwich combos. It was 10:50 and we were told that they were NOT doing breakfast anymore. The sign over my head said they served till 11:00am and the clock on the Tim Hortons wall said 1050. But he said HIS watch said 11:00 and we could NOT get the sandwiches!! I was upset because I was really looking forward to them. When we left the manager said something like “enjoy McDonalds” which I thought was unneeded. To say the least we were VERY disappointed and upset.. This Tim Hortons was in Newport, Maine. It happened today, 12/1/09 at 10:50. That should tell U just WHO the manager was that was NOT helpful or nice at all. Jon Holmes
I feel exactly the same way about “Timmies” as you do. I know people who won’t even try coffee unless it’s from Tim’s. You mentioned the espresso based drinks, I challenge you to try and order an espresso at Tim’s. As I am sure you already know it’s all powdered “instant” junk.
Another point is people like to hang out there, why? The stores have zero appeal to me bright lighting, boring decor, uncomfortable seating. If I want to go out for coffee with friends I want a comfortable place to sit with some art on the walls, a place I can relax.
Tim’s is tripe,
i’ve got a percolator and grind my own beans (usually kicking horse or another certified organic / fair trade) it’s so far beyond tim’s that one cannot compare it fairly… it’d be like comparing Coor’s Light to Trappist Westvleteren 12 (if you know beers, you’ll know what i’m talking about) or… guess a simpler comparison, comparing the performance of a Geo to a Ferrari.
All the tea i brew is infused, loose leaf. It’s truly amazing, much better than “Tim’s Tea” which i’ll pick over their coffee if i’m forced to have a meeting there as they don’t allow you to bring a thermos into the establishment.
BTW, brewing your own is not only far better, it’s also way cheaper, but whatever, i’m not going to get through to the one whos vehicle idles for 15 minutes just to buy a $3.00 coffee and doughnut, clogging up traffic lanes.
Well… I too used to believe that Tim’s was “as good as it gets”… after all for most of us it was a family tradition or was that in a commercial? my father had many Tim cups in the trashcan of his workshop. He also consumed large amounts of fatty foods… homemade gravy including every ounce of animal fat possible… no surprise that he died years before the national average. So I guess just because we’ve always done it doesn’t make it right or good for us.
Taking some notes from song sheets of others I discovered that I had options… at least when it comes to my coffee… I tried the higher end coffee brands… sort of like going from Canadian Rye to Scotch… a little taste shock… but hey people love it… they will tell you what your missing.
I decided to begin brewing and grinding my own until I found just that flavour I enjoyed… it is somewhat similar to Tim Horton’s… at a fraction of the cost and it cuts 20 minutes off my commute to work.. and less trips to the auto detailer to clean the coffee stains that leak,seep,spill and leap from the overflowing Tim’s cup as a bonus.
I’m not going to bash Tim’s for litter… or the car idling time… get a grip … I drove through the line up at Tim’s near my home last spring where a group had been petitioning the municipality to BAN drive through due to the air pollution concerns… I really had to laugh… as the 3 parents of the 3 kids where driving the largest SUV’s you can find… an Infinity Q, Lincoln and an Escalade. How much would you be willing to bet that each kid had a cell phone, debit card and their parents OK to supplement their lunch at the mall close to the school cause mom and dad don’t have time to pack lunch for them?
Yes Tim’s is pathetic in so many ways… the service is humorous… I know that they have been hard pressed in staffing as late… competing with social services in Canada is tough. For you Americans… you have your right to keep and bear arms… we have the right to live off the productive people in our country, get medical assistance, dentistry, eye wear… etc. etc. etc. at no cost to the user and it is unlawful to force them to work for this right. How can Tim’s compete with that? I give the staff credit for accepting a responsible role in the Canadian workplace to support the ever growing social expenses… I will leave the employee’s of Tim’s alone.. well… let me just say “you get what you pay for…” and for all you prodigies working at Tim’s asking is this as good as it gets? remember “access to the library is still free” try picking up a book… I recommend the one “Completing my GED…its never too late”
Although I must say that I am somewhat envious of the employees that are students and using Tim’s as a connector flight to life. Why am I envious? well those students have a rare chance to glimpse into the world of the chaotic cross sections of society… ripe with material for sitcoms such as “The office” or perhaps “Dexter” depending on what side of the tracks your Tim’s is located. 4 years from now while your in line sitting in your shinny BMW you will have some understanding for “Doug” affectionately called “Burnout” by co-workers as he hands you your coffee and looks at you with bovine eyes when you say how have you been? haven’t seen you in years…
So as you drive away… you remember that it was you that coined him “burnout” when you worked there years ago and as you sip your coffee… quickly discovering it hasn’t been stirred… you wonder why in the heck is this place still so busy? And made a resolution to go to the other Tim’s although a little out of the way from then on… and a CBC commentary chirps on the radio “stupid is as stupid does…” and you begin to reflect that people are truly stupid… and that corner across from your office would be an excellent place to open a Tim’s… a licences to print money… and best of all… no accountability… not to the staff and certainly not to the customer… just keep revenue at X and send the bank of Wendy’s their cut and all is good… who said only America is the land of opportunity? Now if you can just find a way to pay less taxes… perhaps the government could shift the capital tax into a sort of tea tax or coffee tax.. certainly this has never been attempted before…
9 Tim Hortons, that's like 1 for ever 2000 residents. By that math, Winnipeg should have 300+ Tim Hortons.
hey i want you to try and do what i do. please do. because you wont be able to. bet you cant. so before you open your rude mouth, close it. we open our coffee when we do because if we dont refil it, we hear you all complain about waiting so shut it
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What's wrong with you people! You are obviously not ordering correctly. I ALWAYS get exactly what I order. I have learned to order “Large coffee, burnt, in a leaky cup/lid, put anything you like into it, don't bother to stir, and give it to me without a smile”. And for this I always say “Thank You”. (Canadian eh?)
[...] most popular post on this blog to date is 5 Reasons Tim Hortons Sucks, I mentioned how terrible Tim Hortons coffee actually tastes. I failed to consider the actual [...]
tim hortons is the fucking shit. if you dont like it then youre not a canadian. HOCKEY PARENTS EVERYWHERE CHOOSE TIM HORTONS YEEEEE HAW
We got a tim hortons in our town about a year ago. The coffee sucks!!! And what is it with the owners being pompous assholes?
Who says Tim was drunk and on pills when he died. He was obviously speeding but there is no mention of drugs or alcohol. Coffee is fresh every 20 minutes. I always found the doughnuts fresh. Maybe the Tim Hortons you go to should be checked out, maybe the management are short cutting to steel the extra buck.
I'll add my two-cents. I'm from the Greater Toronto Area.
Although I don't drink coffee or tea, I do agree with your points. But Tim Hortons is not all that bad as it seems and there are two reasons for this.
(1)The inconvient truth is that it's just conviently located in cities. Let's face it, cities, especially in sprawling neighbourhoods that are built around the automobile love fast-food restaurants and when it comes to “healthy” options, I'd rather have a Tim Horton's Chicken sandwich than anything at Burger King, McDonald's, Pizza Pizza and so on! I know a person can go to other real restaurants but they aren't located around the city. So if someone is in a rush, usually in their cars, a Tim Hortons' is conviently found. And lets face it, humans LIKE convinent things!
(2)It generally has good bang-for-your-buck deals. Once again, an individual has the option of going to a 'proper restaurant' if they desire better cooked healthy food. However, the issue there is pricing, and the inability for people like me to shove over cash!
so not true.. i work at a tim hortons and it is efficient and fresh.. i dont know which one you go to.. go to one in OHIO…USA!!