• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

What Happened to Tim Horton's? The Downfall of Canada's Brand

MULTIZ321

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
31,266
Reaction score
8,995
Points
1,048
Location
FT. LAUDERDALE, FL
Resorts Owned
BLUEWATER BY SPINNAKER HHI
ROYAL HOLIDAY CLUB RHC (POINTS)
What Happened to Tim Horton's? The Downfall of Canada's Brand
By Arwa Mahdawi/ World/ Canada/ The Guardian/ theguardian.com

The coffee shop has long been synonymous with Canada, but bad press and changing tastes have hurt it – and then there was the poop incident.

“It’s your first time in Canada? Oh, you have to try Timmies,” a former colleague informed me, when I landed in Toronto for a business trip several years ago. There was a Tim Hortons next to us in arrivals and before I’d even exited the airport I had a red and white cup in my hand and knew exactly what a double-double was.

Tim Hortons is a famously Canadian brand. It’s not just a corporation – it’s a cultural icon which elicits an extraordinary passion, entirely incommensurate with its unremarkable product. (While talking to people for this article the highest praise anyone would give Tim Hortons coffee when it came to its quality was “it’s fine”.) According to the coffee and fast-food chain, eight out of 10 cups of coffee sold across Canada are from Timmies.

But while the popular purveyor of caffeinated patriotism may have burrowed its way into the national psyche, there are signs that it is beginning to lose its hold on Canadian hearts; not a week seems to go by without a new negative headline about Tim Hortons. In May, for example, the company fell from 13th place to 67th place in a study tracking Canada’s most reputable companies. This was announced only a few weeks after Tim Hortons dropped from number four to 50 in an annual survey of corporate reputation by research firm Leger. “We’ve been doing this study for 20 years and they’ve been at the top 10 every year, except for once when they were number 13,” Dave Scholz, the executive vice-president of Leger, told the Guardian....."

994.jpg

Tim Hortons fell from 13th to 67th place in a study tracking Canada’s most reputable companies. Illustration: Maria Nguyen for the Guardian


Richard




 

Ironwood

TUG Member
Joined
May 25, 2009
Messages
1,079
Reaction score
207
Points
274
Location
North of the 49th!
Tim Hortons has lost it's way! They were the #1 brand in Canada, and an iconic institution here, but at last survey had fallen to #67. Tim Hortons used to be Canadian owned but today are directly controlled by Restaurant Brands International who also own Burger King and Popeyes Louisana Kitchen. They in turn are controlled by 3G Capital of Brasil...and that is the crux of their downfall. 3G have a reputation for squeezing every dime out of every franchise. Service and upgrades have taken a back seat. Employees have been squeezed and treated badly....and most importantly being a coffee shop.....something is wrong with their coffee. MacDonalds brews a better cup in my opinion.
In a similar vein, when Vale International of Brasil a mining conglomerate bought INCO the nickel mining conglomerate based in Sudbury Ontario, as the story goes, when the chairman visited one of the underground mines in Sudbury, he drove by large parking lots filled with cars. He asked who owns all these cars....he was told the miners who are on shift....he responded, the miners have cars? That's the environment the former INCO is now operating in, and I think Tim Hortons is facing the same operational pressures. The controlling operators are not familiar with workers earning a living wage.
 

bogey21

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2005
Messages
9,455
Reaction score
4,662
Points
649
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
MacDonalds brews a better cup in my opinion.

I now buy McCafe, Columbian, 100% Arabica beans for my at home brewing. It is produced by McDonalds and sold in my local Super Market. I'm no coffee connoisseur but I love it...

George
 

clifffaith

TUG Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Messages
5,480
Reaction score
6,637
Points
498
Location
San Juan Capistrano, CA
Resorts Owned
Worldmark
A few years ago we stayed at a Residence Inn (our favorite lodging when no timeshare is available) in Montreal. There was a Tim Horton's a few doors down. I knew nothing beyond that it was a Canadian chain, and for some reason I had it in my mind that they were coffee and donuts like our Dunkin Donuts. Don't know if we were closer to lunch than breakfast, or what, but it seemed to be more of a burger joint so I was disappointed. That was one of those trips that happen every so often where we end up accidentally in the same place at the same time as a friend or relative. My cousin's wife just happened to send an email about being in Montreal on business and we were able to connect for a meal while both of us were visiting at the same time from the Los Angeles area.
 

bizaro86

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
3,664
Reaction score
2,489
Points
598
Location
Calgary, AB, Canada
A few years ago we stayed at a Residence Inn (our favorite lodging when no timeshare is available) in Montreal. There was a Tim Horton's a few doors down. I knew nothing beyond that it was a Canadian chain, and for some reason I had it in my mind that they were coffee and donuts like our Dunkin Donuts. Don't know if we were closer to lunch than breakfast, or what, but it seemed to be more of a burger joint so I was disappointed. That was one of those trips that happen every so often where we end up accidentally in the same place at the same time as a friend or relative. My cousin's wife just happened to send an email about being in Montreal on business and we were able to connect for a meal while both of us were visiting at the same time from the Los Angeles area.

Tim Hortons doesn't sell burgers. They sell coffee, donuts, sandwiches, and soup.
 

PrairieGirl

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
794
Reaction score
1,224
Points
503
Location
Edam, SK Canada
I personally think that Timmies never fully recovered (at least out West) from their faux pas in 2015/2016 of pulling the videos that the oil sands companies were running on their menu monitors to provide factual information to counter the BS coming out of Hollywood. I saw franchises in several locations that had drive through lines that would be at least 15-20 cars long ALL THE TIME and lines inside that you could hardly squeeze into before getting the door shut drop off to nothing almost overnight. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

Me, I never got the attraction of their coffee until they introduced the Dark Roast. I much preferred MacDonalds if I needed a quick cup. But I DO like the Dark Roast!
 

T-Dot-Traveller

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2015
Messages
4,645
Reaction score
3,592
Points
348
Location
Canada
Resorts Owned
Mayan Palace Regency
Taranova
I

Me, I never got the attraction of their coffee until they introduced the Dark Roast. I much preferred MacDonalds if I needed a quick cup. But I DO like the Dark Roast!

FYI - for non Canadian readers : 5 + year’s ago McDonalds Canada went after Tim’s coffee biz dominance . The “taste “ quality of a cup at a Canadian McDonalds is quite good .

I agree that Tim’ dark roast is better than their standard .

(I drink both black .)
 
Last edited:

clifffaith

TUG Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Messages
5,480
Reaction score
6,637
Points
498
Location
San Juan Capistrano, CA
Resorts Owned
Worldmark
Tim Hortons doesn't sell burgers. They sell coffee, donuts, sandwiches, and soup.

Interesting. They must have been between donut batches or maybe they don't make more donuts once they run out and it's closer to lunch? I sat with nothing while Cliff had a cup of coffee.
 

bbodb1

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2016
Messages
4,305
Reaction score
3,824
Points
348
Location
High radiation belt of the Northern Hemisphere
Resorts Owned
RCI Weeks: LaCosta Beach Club, RCI Points: Oakmont Resort, Vacation Village at Parkway. Wyndham: CWA and La Belle Maison, and WorldMark.
Tim Hortons doesn't sell burgers. They sell coffee, donuts, sandwiches, and soup.
Correct me if I am wrong Bizaor86, but it wasn't all that long ago that Tim Horton's used to be coffee and donuts ONLY was it?
From my visit many years ago, that is what I recall......not sure if accurate though...

On our recent trip to Vancouver, I thought I saw salads advertised on the signage in their windows...
 

bizaro86

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
3,664
Reaction score
2,489
Points
598
Location
Calgary, AB, Canada
Interesting. They must have been between donut batches or maybe they don't make more donuts once they run out and it's closer to lunch? I sat with nothing while Cliff had a cup of coffee.

They used to make them in-store, but now they come in batches from a central bakery. I've had donuts there at midnight before, since they just heat up another batch. I'm not sure when they made that change, but it's been awhile.
 

bizaro86

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
3,664
Reaction score
2,489
Points
598
Location
Calgary, AB, Canada
Correct me if I am wrong Bizaor86, but it wasn't all that long ago that Tim Horton's used to be coffee and donuts ONLY was it?
From my visit many years ago, that is what I recall......not sure if accurate though...

On our recent trip to Vancouver, I thought I saw salads advertised on the signage in their windows...

Yes, that is correct. They added a food menu maybe 15 years ago?

It varies but has a bunch of cafe style food. If I go I usually get a sandwich or a chili. I think they have a grilled chicken sandwich now, and they've had panini, salads, etc.
 

youppi

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2015
Messages
1,685
Reaction score
627
Points
224
Location
Montreal, Canada
Yes, that is correct. They added a food menu maybe 15 years ago?

It varies but has a bunch of cafe style food. If I go I usually get a sandwich or a chili. I think they have a grilled chicken sandwich now, and they've had panini, salads, etc.
Older than that see http://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/corporate/our-story.php
They added muffins, cookies croissant , soups and chilli in the 80'
They added sandwiches in 1998
 

moonstone

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
2,762
Reaction score
2,769
Points
599
Location
Moonstone, ON
Resorts Owned
The Beach Club at St. Augustine Beach, FL (1 floating week, purchased in 1982)

77,000 RCI points (Sunrise Ridge Resort, TN)
Old enough to remember when Tim Horton played for the Leafs ?

Yup! I saw him play when I was young (very young -lol) in the '60's when my grandpa, who was a Metro Toronto Police Sgt., would take me to games that he was working at. He knew a seasons ticket holder in his section who's wife rarely attended so I got to use her seat. My dad won one of Tim Horton's hockey sticks in a draw in 1967. The whole Toronto Maple Leaf team signed the stick and that year the Leafs won the Stanley Cup! My dad could care less about hockey & didn't even know who Tim Horton, Eddie Shack, Paul Henderson... were! After Tim died Dad thought about selling the stick as he thought he could maybe pay off the mortgage with the proceeds, but it is still in the basement -unless my brother has taken that too!


~Diane
 

rboesl

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2016
Messages
884
Reaction score
789
Points
203
Location
West Seneca, NY
Resorts Owned
Divi Village Beach & Golf Resort
Vidanta Grand Mayan
Villa del Arco Cobo
Grandview Las Vegas
Vacation Village at Bonaventure
Tim Horton's is HUGE in the Buffalo, NY area. So dominant that few other options for donuts & coffee exist. Dunkin' Donuts has tried twice to make inroads only to fail. There's now only 1 or 2 DDs left. I think part of the attraction is that Tim Horton played for the Buffalo Sabres at the end of his career and actually died in a car crash when he was driving from Toronto to Buffalo to get to a game after visiting family.

I personally don't drink coffee and feel their donuts are just ordinary. But, in Buffalo, they have taken on the strategy of McDonalds of saturating the market. For instance, there are 2 store fronts less than 1 mile apart with a service station drive thru just a quarter mile away from one of them and another in-store shop at a car wash another quarter mile down the road.
 

CanuckTravlr

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
2,011
Reaction score
2,653
Points
324
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Resorts Owned
HGVC Ocean 22
I can remember reading about Tim Horton's death in The Toronto Star the day after his crash on the QEW on the way to Buffalo. The 1960s were an exciting time to be a Leafs fan. They won the Cup four times that decade. Our traditional foe, the Canadiens, won the Cup five times. :bawl: I was in grade 12 the last time the Leafs won the Cup in 1967. I never thought that over 50 years later we would still be waiting for the next win.

That fall the first expansion occurred and it changed the NHL forever. Players no longer played for the same team for their entire careers. The talent pool became so thinly stretched that it eventually diluted the product, until the supply of talented players eventually caught up to the demand. Overall, expansion was good not just for the NHL, but also for hockey...just tough if you are a die-hard Leafs fan.:wall: But there is always next year...right? Go, Leafs, Go.:clap::clap:

I use Tim Horton's about equally with McDonald's if grabbing a quick coffee and a muffin or a breakfast sandwich on my way out. I do like the variety of soups and sandwiches at Timmie's, but don't order their doughnuts as much. They are just not as good (IMO) as they were when each location made them from scratch each day. I also really miss my old favourite, the classic "Dutchie", since they dropped it along with some other varieties, a few years back.
 

am1

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
8,081
Reaction score
1,531
Points
448
Interesting. They must have been between donut batches or maybe they don't make more donuts once they run out and it's closer to lunch? I sat with nothing while Cliff had a cup of coffee.

Are you sure you were not at another place?
 

am1

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
8,081
Reaction score
1,531
Points
448
Used to like it as a kid. Doughnuts, timbits, muffins, ice cream cakes, fancies and hot chocolate. Never had a sip of coffee so as an adult it is not as much a draw. Items were bigger, better and cheaper before. Others I know are addicted to coffee and go every day.
 

bizaro86

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
3,664
Reaction score
2,489
Points
598
Location
Calgary, AB, Canada
Leafs fans should be enjoying the anticipation around adding Tavares to an already strong young core. They lost some pieces as well, but should still be better than last year.
 

CanuckTravlr

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
2,011
Reaction score
2,653
Points
324
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Resorts Owned
HGVC Ocean 22
Yes, Tavares is a positive step. But over the last half century I have been there, done that, bought the hockey jersey several times over!!. The reality in most major league sports these days is that it is very difficult to repeat a championship and to three-peat even more so.

While I remain a life-long Leafs supporter, I am a bit more tempered in my older years. Yes, we have come close several times, but so have many teams. It shouldn't take over 50 years for a team with the money and resources that the Leafs organization enjoys, to put together a championship team, if they were truly committed to it!!

I will be happy to celebrate when they actually have the Stanley Cup in their hands and parade up Bay Street! Until then, I am somewhat reluctant to get my hopes too high. I feel a bit like Charlie Brown and Lucy with the football!! :)

And my apologies to Richard for taking this thread off into a completely different iconic Canadian direction!! :oops: But hockey and Tim Horton's are seldom too far apart, whether it's drinking Tim's coffee in an arena on a cold winter's day, or watching some hockey-themed Tim Horton's commercial on the TV. :thumbup:
 
Last edited:

bizaro86

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
3,664
Reaction score
2,489
Points
598
Location
Calgary, AB, Canada
I think a three-peat is a tough sell. This iteration of the Leafs doesn't seem like a dynasty to me, but they probably have a chance at one. No guarantees, but they should be competitive. Sometime it comes down to bounces and inches.**

I agree it is very unlikely to win that many championships. I remember Ron McLean saying after the Oilers got McDavid that "it isn't whether they win the cup now, it's how many." Which I think is pretty presumptuous.

As you can probably tell from my avatar, I'm a fan of the Oilers main rival, so seeing McDavid and Co miss the playoffs doesn't hurt my feelings too much.

** 2004 finals a still painful memory!
 

fillde

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2008
Messages
591
Reaction score
170
Points
403
Big fan of Tim Horton's the bakery. Husband and I just completed a long road trip through Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. WE ran into many shops along the way. Coffee, hot chocolate and doughnuts were always consistently good. Unlike Dunkin, who has discontinued them at least in our area, Timmy carries our favorites, bran muffins and coconut dipped doughnuts. Most importantly the bathrooms were always clean.

By the way we saw some marvelous sites in NS and Nwfld. Okay now back to hockey talk.:thumbup:
 
Top