Here's a spinoff of Frank II's thread about Starbucks. Thanks Frank for the idea!
Canadians, where have you found Tim's?
In 2015 I found Tim's in Dingle, Ireland.
Last year in Liverpool. Wirh a drive through no less!
And this year, Singapore and Seoul.
Anywhere else? USA doesn't count.
I continue to be surprised by the lack of Tim Horton's in London. I'd definitely buy coffee and Timbits there if I could. Nearest is in Acton or thereabouts, on a retail park. I've visited Tim Horton's in Glasgow and East Kilbride in Scotland.
Very surprised to find a Tim Horton outlet at a travel center/plaza on the major roadway between Granada and Madrid. I had to send a photo home to Hubby. March 2024
Fun thread - I have seen Tim grow in the number of US outlets, but didn't know of the international reach.
In Madrid, and it appeared very busy with non-tourists.
Glasgow, near the central train station.
Got a double double at the one in Glasgow last fall. A few years ago in Dubai. DH was at one in Qatar DH says back in the day the Timmy's at the base in Kandahar was always busy.
I can’t stand Tim Horton’s coffee, it’s the last place I’d go to in another country (never go to it here). And that’s ironic, because I grew up very close to the first Tim Horton’s which opened in Hamilton on Ottawa Street in 1964. It was a happy day when my father would bring us the occasional box of donuts as a treat.
In the UK they largely took over old burger king stores. There is one in the Lake District at Penrith.
Today, who is not a Canadian? The Tim Horton’s in Madrid is heaven-on-earth.
A bit of a tangent, but where it is in the USA is an interesting assortment of states
There’s a Tim Horton’s in the north of Plymouth, handily placed if you’re driving out of the city towards Dartmoor.
A bit of a tangent, but where it is in the USA is an interesting assortment of states.
The competition in the US is fierce. Dunkin, Starbucks and Krispy Kreme are just too competitive. Tim Horton should have made its move to the US many decades ago.
GerryM, just travel north of the metrop a little - Timmies in many towns near me. Drive through (new build) in Kingston, Milton Keynes was the first and now the East and MK and East Midlands has quite a few...
Madrid has one right next to a MacDonalds
Someone from the Great White North please explain to this Seattleite the appeal of Tim Horton's. I went to the one on the main drag in Kelowna because I wanted the whole Canadian experience, and my take-aways were:
Timbits: these are just cakey donut holes with powdered sugar on them.
Coffee: I thought this was supposed to be the apex of Canadian coffee. It tasted like burned 7-11 coffee.
The service: pretty nice.
The cleanliness: There's not enough Purell in the world...
I mean, I don't wanna slag the cornerstone of Canadian culture or anything, but I don't see what's all the hullabaloo, Boo.
Edumacate me!
-- Mike Beebe
Timbits: these are just cakey donut holes with powdered sugar on them.
I only eat Timbits when someone brings them to work. The Tim's muffins and cookies are fabulous. Fun fact - Tim's sponsors minor hockey and it is "Timbit hockey".
Coffee: I thought this was supposed to be the apex of Canadian coffee. It tasted like burned 7-11 coffee.
I usually get English Breakfast tea. Once in awhile a cappuccino. Some people love Tim's coffee, some don't.
The service: pretty nice.
Glad to hear it! It varies, place to place.
The cleanliness: There's not enough Purell in the world...
Again, it varies place to place, though I don't recall the last time I went inside a Tim's. Drive through only.
I think Tim's is a big thing because it is everywhere here. Some people have a big addiction to the coffee. A good friend's daughter worked there for a period and - gross - says some order "4x4" (four by four, as in four cream four sugar", and "8x8". Gross.
Someone from the Great White North please explain to this Seattleite the appeal of Tim Horton's. I went to the one on the main drag in Kelowna because I wanted the whole Canadian experience, and my take-aways were:
Blockquote
Timbits: these are just cakey donut holes with powdered sugar on them.
Coffee: I thought this was supposed to be the apex of Canadian coffee.
It tasted like burned 7-11 coffee. The service: pretty nice. The
cleanliness: There's not enough Purell in the world...I mean, I don't wanna slag the cornerstone of Canadian culture or
anything, but I don't see what's all the hullabaloo, Boo.
Well, Mike B, pull up a chair and get comfy, cause we might be a while... not really, I'll try to give the abridged version.
First, just like other chains you may be familiar with, like Starbucks, or Dunkin, or Krispy Kreme, it's probably not fair to judge an entire chain on a single experience at one location. I waited till I'd tried Starbucks cappuccino at several places before concluding it uniformly tasted of a burnt roast.
Tidbits ARE doughnut holes. They can be yeast or cake, and can be plain, glazed, or sugared.
Their coffee is drip, with the regular coffee from a medium roast, or the alternate, which is a dark roast with a typically more bitter taste. My preference is the dark roast. I've never found it burned tasting, since the coffee is made in regular pots and not commercial size urns; but it could happen, I suppose.
Service: no different than most counter service restaurants, I would think. Depends on many factors.
Cleanliness - again, I would expect them to meet necessary standards, but stuff happens and locations may vary.
Tim's is hardly the cornerstone of Canadian culture. Many might call such a comment to be a slag on Canadian culture. I'm sure that was not your intent. It is, however a bit of an institution, and perhaps even a social icon. It was founded by a Canadian pro hockey player. The only way it could be more Canadian would be if they also sold beaver tails, but alas...
In the beginning, the menu was pretty much limited to coffee and doughnuts, but over the years, especially after it was taken over and the rapid expansion began, the menu expanded and some have argued the food quality suffered somewhat. As did its reputation when it merged with a US food corporation. But in Canada it is ubiquitous, with more locations than any other fast food outfits. If people want to meet for coffee, chances are that a Tim's is the closest. It also has a presence on many Canadian university campuses, as well as on some foreign military bases that have a large Canadian presence (where it is seen as a tasty reminder of home).
Tims has long been associated with sports sponsorship. Most especially with hockey for all ages and levels. But also for curling (Canada's second sport?), where they sponsored the championship Brier for many years. They also sponsor the Forge FC soccer team. They have a very strong and active community outreach foundation through its Children's foundation.
I'm not surprised Tim Horton's is expanding around the world considering they are owned by the same parent company as Burger King.
This is exactly why Tim Hortons has lost its appeal for many. Ever since it was acquired by a Brazilian private equity firm (which also owns Burger King and some other fast food outlets) its quality has noticeably gone downhill. I'm a Canadian and I can't stand their coffee. I'm not saying everything is bad, their donuts are still OK, but I stay well clear of their other food. They used to be much better.
I found a Tim Horton in Ayr, Scotland. I didn't visit it.
GerryM, just travel north of the metrop a little - Timmies in many towns near me.
Yes. That seems to be their strategy in the UK. I'd have thought a big central London Tim Horton's would do pretty well. That, or smaller places on the trendier high streets in the inner London boroughs. Their coffee is an interesting alternative to the big milky coffees you get elsewhere.
I can see how they've sort of sold out and gone down the Burger King route with the drive-thrus and out-of-town outlets now everyone points it out.
Tim Hortons had a very well thought out strategy for its entry & expansion in the UK.
They initially opened in a few clusters of regional locations so they weren't supplying odd shops dotted all over the country. In the early 2020s they took advantage by taking over redundant sites in out of town shopping and entertainment sites abandoned by others in retreat during the pandemic (Pizza Hut being the largest example).
Now they are expanding via franchises so could pop up in London sometime.
Dunkin has followed a similar strategy but already has a few shops in London.
Tim Hortons in the UK are operating at a higher price point than they do in Canada, selling coffee more at Starbucks than McDonald's prices. Although they have some fairly permanent combo offers.
