Tim Hortons

[MolsonExport]

I went to three Tim Hortons on Christmas day in search of coffee for the road, which were all closed. Found one open with a horrific lineup. Drove a bit to find a McDonalds, where the coffee tasted better, and the drive thru flowed well.

[Ozabald]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

And in Toronto, just for fun:

328 Tim Horton's
160 Starbucks
70 McDonald's

Vancouver is probably the outlier likely being the only city in Canada with more Starbucks than Tim Horton's. When I moved to Vancouver in 1994, there were no Timmie's locations within Vancouver proper; only a handful in the suburbs. Living in the West End at that time, the closest location was on Marine Drive in North Vancouver.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

McDonalds' kiosks are just as unreliable. 50% of the time, they don't print out a ticket or give you a number.

Such a basic thing...why are they invariably 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵?

General enshitification. I do find McDickhead's app to be one of the better fast food ones.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

And in Toronto, just for fun:

328 Tim Horton's
160 Starbucks
70 McDonald's

Where did that info come from? I'd love the Vancouver numbers, and Metro Vancouver if possible.

[Djeffery]

A quick google says London has approx 74 Tim's, 23 Starbucks and 18 McDonalds. Not sure how recent those counts are.

Woodstock has 7 Tim's (counting the one in the hospital but not the 2 in the 401 service centres), 2 McDonalds and a Starbucks.

[casper]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

McDonalds' kiosks are just as unreliable. 50% of the time, they don't print out a ticket or give you a number.

Such a basic thing...why are they invariably 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵?

Panasonic supplies the kiosks and associated software to McDonalds.

I find paper is usually out. Associates don't make it a priority to replace it when it runs out.

The other problem with using the kiosks and the apps, is that it frequently is not up to date on the inventory. So they will sell you a product that is out of stock and then the associate is left trying to make it up somehow with something else.

[MolsonExport]

same thing with service stations. I buy gas, and at least 1/3 of the time my receipt fails to print out. This never happens, though, at Costco's gas bars.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by Ozabald

Vancouver is probably the outlier likely being the only city in Canada with more Starbucks than Tim Horton's. When I moved to Vancouver in 1994, there were no Timmie's locations within Vancouver proper; only a handful in the suburbs. Living in the West End at that time, the closest location was on Marine Drive in North Vancouver.

I moved from Vancouver to Ontario in 1992 for two years, and most people had never heard of Starbucks. I don't think I ever saw one in my time living there.

[jonny24]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

I went to three Tim Hortons on Christmas day in search of coffee for the road, which were all closed. Found one open with a horrific lineup. Drove a bit to find a McDonalds, where the coffee tasted better, and the drive thru flowed well.

Good for them for closing down

[MolsonExport]

Sure, that is their prerogative. I have no problem with that.

[london91]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

A quick google says London has approx 74 Tim's, 23 Starbucks and 18 McDonalds. Not sure how recent those counts are.

Woodstock has 7 Tim's (counting the one in the hospital but not the 2 in the 401 service centres), 2 McDonalds and a Starbucks.

2 Starbucks in Woodstock

but yes - they need a 3 or 4 McDonalds

[harls]

I go out of my way now to avoid Tim's. Every time I've gone there I get hem and haw service by unenthusiastic employees. A&W drive thru coffee is better and I don't have to wait behind 20 cars to get one.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by london91

2 Starbucks in Woodstock

but yes - they need a 3 or 4 McDonalds

I don't know if we need 3 or 4, but maybe one up in the northwest. There is supposed to be a new Burger King going in by the Tim's on 59 north at Lakeview. A new Tim's is apparently going in the old TA truck stop, which is gradually reopening in phases over the next while.

[theman23]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

I think a lot of people forget how Tim's market operates.

The point is not to provide a quality product, it's to provide a cheap product and focus on volume. It's the Wal-Mart and Dollarama of fast food. It's popular not because the coffee is excellent, but because the coffee is passable and it's $1.90 for a medium, and you can get a donut and a coffee for $3 or lunch and a coffee for like $7.

Yes, just like how Longos or Loblaws is going to give you a better quality grocery experience than WalMart.. There are better coffee shops out there. But that's not the point. Tims works because it's cheap enough that people can go literally every day and not have to think about the cost of it. Tims restaurants thrive on customers buying coffee and often food literally daily. It's an outlet for people, many of who don't otherwise have the money to regularly eat out at higher quality restaurants, to be able to go out for food and have that experience.

It’s literally the cheapest food option around. If the food and coffee is mediocre, it’s punching above its weight. The complaints about restaurant cleanliness are valid, but aren’t unique to Tim Hortons. McDonald’s is the only other fast food restaurant that is as high volume and is just as filthy.

[moosejaw]

Originally Posted by Ozabald

Vancouver is probably the outlier likely being the only city in Canada with more Starbucks than Tim Horton's. When I moved to Vancouver in 1994, there were no Timmie's locations within Vancouver proper; only a handful in the suburbs. Living in the West End at that time, the closest location was on Marine Drive in North Vancouver.

So true
I don’t recall Tim Hortons when I was a kid
There was one we drive by on the way to school on 33rd by Main
It had the old yellow and brown sign

But that’s the only one I recall.

[Loco101]

Timmins, population 42,000:

Tim Hortons: 9

McDonald's: 2 (one is in Walmart and a there is a proposed third location in South Porcupine)

Starbucks: 2

A&W: 3

We have a huge drive-thru culture here due to the climate as well as the many people who work jobs where picking up coffee is very common. It seems as though Tims has reached its peak as no new locations have opened since the first Starbucks opened here in 2018 and second Starbucks location opened 2024. Before the pandemic six of the Tims locations were open 24 hours but now only three are. I remember ten years ago people here saying that a Starbucks would never survive. They were obviously very wrong.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I moved from Vancouver to Ontario in 1992 for two years, and most people had never heard of Starbucks. I don't think I ever saw one in my time living there.

The first time I went to a Starbucks was at a Chapters store in London ON on Wellington Road and I think it was in 1994 or 1995. Does that sound right to anyone who lived in London at that time?

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by Loco101

The first time I went to a Starbucks was at a Chapters store in London ON on Wellington Road and I think it was in 1994 or 1995. Does that sound right to anyone who lived in London at that time?

Sounds about right to me, it was kind of a big deal at the time.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Sounds about right to me, it was kind of a big deal at the time.

I remember the Masonville Chapters store opened in late 1995. However I seem to remember a different coffee shop being there initially and Starbucks replacing it about three years later. I may be wrong on this. Can’t speak to the Wellington location as I never went there back then.

I remember Second Cup having a few locations in London back then. Never as many as Tim Hortons but it was, to pardon the pun, the second coffee shop chain there.

[Wigs]

Originally Posted by harls

I go out of my way now to avoid Tim's. Every time I've gone there I get hem and haw service by unenthusiastic employees. A&W drive thru coffee is better and I don't have to wait behind 20 cars to get one.

agreed. A&W is a much better experience. Typically only 1-2 cars ahead of you in drive thru at a time.
I'm surprised many Canadians don't think of A&W for breakfast and coffee. Higher quality coffee than Tim's.

If you don't believe harls and me, try it.