The seemingly terminal decline of Tim Hortons

[Richard White]

I see nothing being "made" at a Tim's site. It will be factory made, frozen then 'finished' at the restaurant.

I can see the issues now.

No doubt people with every dietary restriction from Jain food to Veganism will want a customized pizza.

I hate to say it but I expect someone to be raising a stink over how Tims cannot accomodate them.

 

[lenaitch]

I can see the issues now.

No doubt people with every dietary restriction from Jain food to Veganism will want a customized pizza.

I hate to say it but I expect someone to be raising a stink over how Tims cannot accomodate them.

Meh. If a person has some kind of dietary restriction, ethical, physical or otherwise, going into a fast food restaurant that has an essentially fixed menu won't be for them. Pizza restaurants - real ones that make pizzas on-site from scratch - will either accommodate you or not. Their fridges are stocked with ingredients they normally use. Same with burger joints. Unless they have a veggie burger, they aren't going to make one from scratch.

Heck, even asking for a minor deletion is beyond most of these places. On the rare occasion when she orders one, my wife asks for no cheese on her McDonald's breakfast sandwich. It almost never happens.

Very little of Tim's food offerings is made on-site and what is, is made from on-hand ingredients.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Meh. If a person has some kind of dietary restriction, ethical, physical or otherwise, going into a fast food restaurant that has an essentially fixed menu won't be for them.

I'd be posting this on the door and be rid of any substitutions or restrictions. Make an excellent product that people will want and you can ignore the allergy and diet complainers. Yes, I admire Yev Kassem, the Soup Nazi.

And from this restaurant in Manitoba, https://www.facebook.com/people/Jennifers-Restaurant-Picnic/100049350884871/

If Tim Hortons just made excellent coffee, all would be forgiven. Focus on what you're supposed to be good at.

 

[TossYourJacket]

I'd be posting this on the door and be rid of any substitutions or restrictions. Make an excellent product that people will want and you can ignore the allergy and diet complainers. Yes, I admire Yev Kassem, the Soup Nazi.

Tim Hortons used to do this in the early 2000s specifically for peanut (and maybe some other) allergies. In retrospect I'm sure it wasn't fun for my parents to explain to 10 year old me that I suddenly wasn't able to have donuts anymore (My mum used to take me and my brother to Tims as a treat every now and then, after they did this we switched to McDonalds (who are low-key amazing about food allergies). I haven't ordered anything from Tims ever since)

Meh. If a person has some kind of dietary restriction, ethical, physical or otherwise, going into a fast food restaurant that has an essentially fixed menu won't be for them.

Depends. For some allergies you just have to do your research and it's fine. McDonalds of all places is very good about keeping nuts and peanuts in sealed bags and away from everything else (to be fair they basically are used in nothing but the sundaes). Obviously substitutions are a different thing, but for some allergies fast food isn't that difficult if you just know the place you're going to (most dietary restriction info is available in the apps anyway these days).

If people are going to show up and demand things are catered to them that's one thing, but there seems to be a vibe in this thread that people with food allergies are somehow "unreasonable" for a thing we have no control over. Like obviously I am not going to go to a Thai restaurant and demand they don't put peanuts in things. I'm not an idiot. But like, I think the idea every restaurant should just ban people with food allergies is cruel. Just because I can't eat one specific food I shouldn't be able to go to a restaurant? Don't lump those of us who know how to be responsible about it in with people who aren't.

 

[afransen]

Wasn't it reported here that a woman with a dairy allergy had a severe reaction when ordering a tea with plant-based milk and getting dairy instead? You'd have to be mad to trust your health to Tim Horton's food preparation.

 

[gabe]

Tim Hortons used to do this in the early 2000s specifically for peanut (and maybe some other) allergies. In retrospect I'm sure it wasn't fun for my parents to explain to 10 year old me that I suddenly wasn't able to have donuts anymore (My mum used to take me and my brother to Tims as a treat every now and then, after they did this we switched to McDonalds (who are low-key amazing about food allergies). I haven't ordered anything from Tims ever since)

In my opinion, late 90s early 2000s was the last time Tim's was good. I remember this elderly Chinese couple who owned the Tim's where i grew up, they were amazing. They would have our coffee on the counter as soon as my mom or dad pulled in the driveway. They knew everyone by name. They also employed some of the neighborhood teenagers, a few of my friends all had summer jobs there. It felt more like a mom and pop coffee shop than a corporate chain. The owners have since retired and sold the place and it's now owned by some slumlord like every other Tim's. These days Tim's is all about profits over people. They don't care about the customers experience or the workers well-being.

 

[lenaitch]

Tim Hortons used to do this in the early 2000s specifically for peanut (and maybe some other) allergies. In retrospect I'm sure it wasn't fun for my parents to explain to 10 year old me that I suddenly wasn't able to have donuts anymore (My mum used to take me and my brother to Tims as a treat every now and then, after they did this we switched to McDonalds (who are low-key amazing about food allergies). I haven't ordered anything from Tims ever since)


Depends. For some allergies you just have to do your research and it's fine. McDonalds of all places is very good about keeping nuts and peanuts in sealed bags and away from everything else (to be fair they basically are used in nothing but the sundaes). Obviously substitutions are a different thing, but for some allergies fast food isn't that difficult if you just know the place you're going to (most dietary restriction info is available in the apps anyway these days).

If people are going to show up and demand things are catered to them that's one thing, but there seems to be a vibe in this thread that people with food allergies are somehow "unreasonable" for a thing we have no control over. Like obviously I am not going to go to a Thai restaurant and demand they don't put peanuts in things. I'm not an idiot. But like, I think the idea every restaurant should just ban people with food allergies is cruel. Just because I can't eat one specific food I shouldn't be able to go to a restaurant? Don't lump those of us who know how to be responsible about it in with people who aren't.

Fair points, but many allergies are not as easily managed by simply keeping a particular item in sealed bags. Some are sensitive to aerosolized food irritants, there can be transference on preparation surfaces, etc. I think doing one's homework is important.

Besides, I don't think anyone mentioned "banning" people, but when you go into a place with a fixed menu and production speed and consistency are valued over everything else, needing a specific alteration might not always be successful. I found that, between ambient noise levels, masks, barriers and language issues, during COVID it was difficult to even get a regular off-the-menu order done correctly. Apps are only good if you have mobile data (which we don't).

 

[Admiral Beez]

...needing a specific alteration might not always be successful.

I have no allergies whatsoever, so am likely not going to Darwin myself by risking a fast food visit.

While I recognize that dangerous allergies are not preferences, I do not think I have ever, not once in all my global travels asked a restaurant to alter my meal from what's on the menu.

 

[Richard White]

Apparently Tim's corporate office failed to consider the impacts of the pizzas on Drive-Thru operations.

According to a presumed employee on Reddit, the things take forever to make and are causing issues at the Drive-Thru. Unlike McDonalds, Tim's does not have places for people to sit and wait for their order.

Employees are apparently taking flak from other customers in the drive-thru for not speeding things along.

https://www.reddit.com/r/TimHortons/comments/1c7imhc/please_dont_order_pizzas_at_drive_thru_please

 

[xy3]

Tims is doing everything wrong.

They should ditch the soups , sandwiches, ice cream etc and focus on making decent coffee & fresh donuts like Krispy Kreme. Then re-open seating in cafes and extend hours.

The whole purpose of Tims is either desperation to stay awake (if I drank all my coffee in my thermos and I'm getting a coffee at the Finch or Islington subway station to stay awake on the subway when I'm heading home) or to sit in the cafe and browse the web/study/use the plugs etc.

I would never buy Tims or Starbucks to-go (unless I ran out of the coffee I made at home and desperately need to stay awake) , I would just make my own at home. The jack of all trades menus & "no dine-in" trend is going to backfire big time on these chains.

 

[lenaitch]

Apparently Tim's corporate office failed to consider the impacts of the pizzas on Drive-Thru operations.

According to a presumed employee on Reddit, the things take forever to make and are causing issues at the Drive-Thru. Unlike McDonalds, Tim's does not have places for people to sit and wait for their order.

Employees are apparently taking flak from other customers in the drive-thru for not speeding things along.

https://www.reddit.com/r/TimHortons/comments/1c7imhc/please_dont_order_pizzas_at_drive_thru_please

They forgot about their most prolific sales generator. Well done. Yet another reason why I never use anybody's drive-through.

Tims is doing everything wrong.

They should ditch the soups , sandwiches, ice cream etc and focus on making decent coffee & fresh donuts like Krispy Kreme. Then re-open seating in cafes and extend hours.

The cost to re-install full bakery kitchens in all of their stores would probably be prohibitive.

They're still a money maker for their shareholders:

Tim Hortons revenue worldwide 2023 | Statista

Canadian quick service restaurant (QSR) chain Tim Hortons generated a revenue of approximately 3.97 billion U.S.

www.statista.com

 

[xy3]

They forgot about their most prolific sales generator. Well done. Yet another reason why I never use anybody's drive-through.


The cost to re-install full bakery kitchens in all of their stores would probably be prohibitive.

They're still a money maker for their shareholders:

Tim Hortons revenue worldwide 2023 | Statista

Canadian quick service restaurant (QSR) chain Tim Hortons generated a revenue of approximately 3.97 billion U.S.

www.statista.com

They don't need to nessessarily make them in-house, just made in a bakery the same day.

Krispy Kreme delivers same day batches of donuts from their local regional bakery. When they are baked fresh in the early morning, they taste far better than the often chemically/salty/margarine packed frozen (and often poorly mixed) slop served by Tims.

 

[afransen]

I find using drive-thru is a shit show most of the time, at most fast food places. TH has long been awful. If I am out in the morning and have no other options for coffee, I will at worst case go to a TH, order a coffee in the app and pick it up from the pickup location. The drive thru, last time I used it in the morning, was 20 or 30 minutes. Absolute madness that anyone would do this on a daily basis.

 

[lenaitch]

They don't need to nessessarily make them in-house, just made in a bakery the same day.

Krispy Kreme delivers same day batches of donuts from their local regional bakery. When they are baked fresh in the early morning, they taste far better than the often chemically/salty/margarine packed frozen (and often poorly mixed) slop served by Tims.

I wasn't aware of that. I thought all KKs were on-site. Quite frankly, I wasn't even sure they were in Canada anymore. I used to occasionally drop into the one on Mavis Rd. when I was working in the area. I searched and found listings for Krispy Kreme 'Cafe' and assume that is what you are referring to. I guess when you only have half a dozen locations they are easier to service. With Tim's current business model, it would be unworkable.

 

[Johnny Au]

I have eaten Tim Horton's pepperoni pizza and I must say that quality-wise, it's more like Pizza Pizza.

In other words, it is a disappointment. Even the McPizza tastes better and I was in elementary school when it was available (the personal-sized McPizza is similar to the Sabatasso's pizza singles sold in Costco).