Tim Hortons a Flop in the US

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by blankall

A double double has about as much sugar and fat as you can cram into a coffee. Starbucks is by far the biggest chain in the US and it offers all sorts of low calorie and healthy options.

Yeah, I was kinda jokin

[Bootsy]

I've never been a fan of Tim's donuts or food for that matter but I admit I'm hooked on the coffee and ice caps. Most people I know go there for the coffee/ice caps.

[Jacks]

Tim's is the crack version of coffee. I only drink about 3-4 cups a year, Tim's will literally put me into a cold sweat.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by blankall

People go to Dunkin, because, like all chains, they provide consistency in product.

People go to Tim Horton's, due to some bizarre sense of corproate nationalism. It's downright bizarre.

They are virtually the same thing, large national coffee chains with low quality products. The people who eschew Starbucks and the like for Tim's do so because Tim's is good old traditional Canadian coffee, not some fancy stuff. The same can be said for the people who choose Dunkin. Tim's piles on the nationalism in their marketing, but Dunkin markets in much the same way, they just don't have to be as over the top about it to reach their market. They both ingrained themselves as cultural institutions, which is pretty brilliant marketing actually.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Bootsy

I've never been a fan of Tim's donuts or food for that matter but I admit I'm hooked on the coffee and ice caps. Most people I know go there for the coffee/ice caps.

I think this is bang on. People go to Tim's here for the coffee and beverages; and the food is just second rate. When the donuts are made 3000 km away and shipped to stores, there are other options for food that are better.

The people who are on here talking about how bad the coffee is represent the vocal minority. I don't have the exact stats in front of me, but I seem to recall that Tim's has something like 60% of the market share; with Starbucks a distant second around 13%.

[JiriHrdina]

I don't go to Tim's because of faux nationalism I go because I'm hopelessly addicted to their coffee. My only true vice

[PsYcNeT]

As a former independent coffee shop manager and resident coffee snob, Tim's is the only common-market coffee I actually don't mind. It's pretty mild, has a good amount of caffeine, and has minimal after taste.

This is probably due to the fact that every single other damn corporate chain does a French style over-roast of their beans which in turn makes everything taste like burnt ass.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

$182K profit per store sure sounds horrible to me. I could be way off base, but I would think that is not a very good figure for the Canadian stores.

I'm guessing that is the royalties they get from the franchisees per store. Depending on what the royalty percentage is and how it's calculated (derived from revenues is my guess), that's actually pretty good for a store that mainly sells $1 coffees.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by valo403

They are virtually the same thing, large national coffee chains with low quality products. The people who eschew Starbucks and the like for Tim's do so because Tim's is good old traditional Canadian coffee, not some fancy stuff. The same can be said for the people who choose Dunkin. Tim's piles on the nationalism in their marketing, but Dunkin markets in much the same way, they just don't have to be as over the top about it to reach their market. They both ingrained themselves as cultural institutions, which is pretty brilliant marketing actually.

I don't know whether its bad training or whatever. But Starbucks coffee always tastes burnt to me, maybe they don't clean out their dispensors very well.

Their regular coffee in shop is nasty.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Just my opinion, but I don't see what is so special about Tim's at all.

Their coffee is gross unless you add a tonne of cream and sugar. Their sandwiches are just average sandwiches and no cheaper than most other places (does anyone actually crave them, or is it just convenience). Donuts and bagels are the same everywhere.

I could never understand why people go completely whacky for Tim Horton's every morning when the greasy spoon diner at the corner probably has better coffee and maybe even food.

Honestly Tim's isn't that great, but it has two advantages:
1) They're freaking EVERYWHERE
2) They're dirt cheap

Do I ever find myself thinking "man, a breakfast sandwich from Tim's would be a great treat right now", no. But at least once I week I think "aww man, I'm starving this morning, I should grab something on my way into the office with the change in my pocket" and then I hit up Tims.

They've really hit the sweet spot for availability, price & quality. Don't get me wrong, they excel in none of those areas, but they hit the cross section better than anyone else.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I don't go to Tim's because of faux nationalism I go because I'm hopelessly addicted to their coffee. My only true vice

You're probably just addicted to the 18% cream and the sugar. I will admit, the 18% cream is pretty amazing.

[Biff]

I dislike the taste of Tim's coffee and prefer almost anything else.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Dunkin Donuts is most definitely better than Tim Hortons. Munchkins are way better than Timbits. DD was always more popular in Quebec growing up than Tim Hortons was, then all of a sudden Tim's exploded and that was that for Dunkin Donuts. I still think there are a few stores in Quebec.

I also agree about the nationalism arguments. 7-11 and McDonalds both have vastly superior coffee if you just want a plain black coffee, but people love their Timmies because its about as Canadiana as it gets.

People are saying this like it's a bad thing. There's not a lot of nationalism engrained in Canadians (certainly not as much as the US), it's nice to have something to rally around thats "ours" outside of hockey and beer. Sure its not to everyones taste (is there something that is?), but there is obviously a whack of people that enjoy it enough to buy it everyday. It's not pretending to be something it's not. It's Timmy's, and it's where you get your cheap, standard coffee. As an adopted Canadian, I'm proud of something like Tims which brings Canadians of all backgrounds together under one, coffee-loving umbrella. And many of my American brethren that I speak with LOVE Tim's coffee.

I'm proud to sit outside in -15, watching/playing pond hockey, with a Tim's in one hand and a Molson in the other. Oh Canada!

[nik-]

Nationalism based around Tim Horton's is a bad thing. It's so fake too, they moved to the US and only came back for tax advantages, so lets not pretend they use it for anything else than a reason to buy their coffee. They don't give a #### about Canada as anything but a market they're established in.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by nik-

Nationalism based around Tim Horton's is a bad thing. It's so fake too, they moved to the US and only came back for tax advantages, so lets not pretend they use it for anything else than a reason to buy their coffee. They don't give a #### about Canada as anything but a market they're established in.

Is it fake? Its a chicken or the egg case IMO. I wasn't around for the inception of Tims, but I can't say I was indoctrinated by Tims in any way. I love that Tims is Canadian. If the Americans don't want it, f*** em.

If I am standing outside staring at Tims or Starbucks I will choose Tims 9/10 times. The only way to get good tasting coffee at Starbucks is to spend $5 on a cup of half milk half coffee. If you're going to be insulted by a business trying to do whats best for them by moving their operations or what have you, you better start a whole bunch of boycotting.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Originally Posted by MattyC

People are saying this like it's a bad thing. There's not a lot of nationalism engrained in Canadians (certainly not as much as the US), it's nice to have something to rally around thats "ours" outside of hockey and beer. Sure its not to everyones taste (is there something that is?), but there is obviously a whack of people that enjoy it enough to buy it everyday. It's not pretending to be something it's not. It's Timmy's, and it's where you get your cheap, standard coffee. As an adopted Canadian, I'm proud of something like Tims which brings Canadians of all backgrounds together under one, coffee-loving umbrella.

I'm Canadian, and Tim Hortons is not "mine". The only way I'll rally around it is if I'm in a mob and we're about to light it on fire. Why should I be proud of cheap coffee and disgusting food?

[Flamenspiel]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Just my opinion, but I don't see what is so special about Tim's at all.

Their coffee is gross unless you add a tonne of cream and sugar. Their sandwiches are just average sandwiches and no cheaper than most other places (does anyone actually crave them, or is it just convenience). Donuts and bagels are the same everywhere.

I could never understand why people go completely whacky for Tim Horton's every morning when the greasy spoon diner at the corner probably has better coffee and maybe even food.

I agree the coffee tastes very average, as a coffee geek who only drinks black coffee and espresso I would have to say that the one thing Tim's has going for it is that the caffeine content per ml is extremely high. The bottom line is its a good buzz....look around at Tim's and if you see older people there they will usually be smiling.

btw, McDonald's coffee is way to hot and i don't agree about 7-11. 7-11 coffee is sometimes days old as they don't have the turnaround. Good percolated coffee is about turnaround and freshness.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

I'm Canadian, and Tim Hortons is not "mine". The only way I'll rally around it is if I'm in a mob and we're about to light it on fire. Why should I be proud of cheap coffee and disgusting food?

I never said it was "yours" I said it was "ours". If Tims isn't your choice fine, that doesn't make it any less of a cultural institution. Just because you don't like it doesn't nullify this. Americans have a cultural institution revolving around guns. Do all Americans like this stigma? No, but that doesn't mean it's not there. From an outside perspective, America is guns, fat people, and car racing. From an outside perspective, Canada is cold, hockey, and Tims. It's not really a choice, its just the way it is.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by MattyC

I never said it was "yours" I said it was "ours". If Tims isn't your choice fine, that doesn't make it any less of a cultural institution. Just because you don't like it doesn't nullify this. Americans have a cultural institution revolving around guns. Do all Americans like this stigma? No, but that doesn't mean it's not there. From an outside perspective, America is guns, fat people, and car racing. From an outside perspective, Canada is cold, hockey, and Tims. It's not really a choice, its just the way it is.

If by "ours" you mean the shareholders of Tim Horton's, then yes, it's "ours". If you are referring to Canadians then, no, it is not "ours". It's a corporation designed to make money, it's no more "ours" than Rona or any other Canadian company. It's been marketed as some sort of cultural institution, and apparently they got that hook pretty deep into your gills.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by blankall

A double double has about as much sugar and fat as you can cram into a coffee. Starbucks is by far the biggest chain in the US and it offers all sorts of low calorie and healthy options.

Yes, but let's be honest, Starbucks isn't making their money off of black coffee, they are making it off of their latte's and mochachinos, and other things I don't really understand, and those things are most certainly not low calorie options. They can certainly be worse than a double double.
Just quick google shows me that an Extra Large Double Double has 320 calories, vs a Grande White Chocolate Mocha ringing in at 400.
There isn't a lot of differnece between the two chains.

Originally Posted by blankall

People go to Dunkin, because, like all chains, they provide consistency in product.

People go to Tim Horton's, due to some bizarre sense of corproate nationalism. It's downright bizarre.

So the consistency applies to Dunkin, but not to Tim's?
That's kind of a silly argument isn't it?

All chians are the same, people go because they know what they are getting. Americans would rather go to Dunkin because they are familliar with it, Canadians go to Tim's for the same reason. And they both don't go to the other because chances are, they would rather just go to the one they know down the street instead.