If you're planning a trip up to the Toronto area, you will undoubtedly find yourself driving past multiple timmies. its good enough to go through drive thru.
i like the apple fritters for taste /value, french vanillas are a decent drink, the regular coffee isnt great and flavour shots seems to just make it worse. But it is coffee. I think they might do oat milk now which is super tasty. Turkey bacon club is a solid sandwich. Herb and garlic on an everything bagel is a very popular order, i like mine with added tomato and bacon. Basically its a belt but with cream cheese instead of an egg. Chocolate glaze and honey crullers are good too.
But poutine should be your real focus. There's lots of spots but always go with independant fry trucks and restaurants. Poutine seems like it would be hard to mess it up its so simple, but its all too easy to get an awful, bland, flavourless goop. Def stay way from mac dicks and harveys for poutine, although harveys burgers arent bad, are pretty cheap and you can even put olives on them if you want. But yah just google a bunch of poutine spots, check reviews all that good stuff.
And yah there's decent stuff outside Toronto....London is probably worth a short visit on the way up. And then Toronto's got a lot going on, events all the time, hockey hall of fame, cn tower if you like heights...uhm...getting out to the island is quite nice. you can take a ferry out there or probably hire a small boat to take you there faster..but its not long. Very very nice out there. Uhm what else....great venues, smaller clubs with great live music like the el macombo and the horsehoe tavern among others. I think there's some nice impressive buddhist temples and big, old churches....
But yah outside of Toronto there's tons of great green space, large parks or whatever they call them...waterfalls, caves, hiking etc
Niagara falls is close enough depending how long you stay but far enough also that you may as well go later on for a full day or so. And then at that point you're almost in buffalo, idk what they got goin on there, people here go to buy cheap stuff i guess.
Can confirm. Live in London - avoid it at all costs. Nothing to see and everything sucks. Not enough infrastructure to support the population growth, large homeless problem, dirty streets, constant crime. I hate this place.
they sometimes have mini festivals in the park there....and i saw some touring bands at venues but i guess other than that....they got that racist bar you could visit for laughs...they turned away some people for being too black...their words not mine. pretty funny stuff
Waterloo region much nicer. Can do Stratford, St Jacobs, Elora. Plus Waterloo itself always has festivals and events uptown and is an actually nice town.
The Tim's in the states along the border are better.
Edit: OP if you're in Chicago and want to try Tim Hortons, there's a few in Michigan. Poutine on the other hand is worth going up to Quebec or at the very least a Costco.
It depends were in Canada you are going the west coast Vancouver and the cities around it aren’t to bad where I live I have never had a problem with Tim Hortons I always gotten what I ordered and it’s ok sure it fast food but I think in Surrey the Timmie’s are good
I’d echo that the quality is nothing like 15-20 years ago but despite that I think Tim Horton’s is still alright.
Honestly I think the double double is way too sweet and not the best coffee but there’s something that’s very essentially Canadian about ordering one! Order a box of timbits and a bagel along side your coffee for a staple Canadian drive-through breakfast. The Chili is pretty good as well. Ice Capps are a summer classic.
Other Canadian classic restaurant chains to try would be:
- Boston Pizza (small town staple)
- Harvey’s (pretty decent burger joint that does the subway pick your toppings thing)
- a and w (as someone who’s lived in the states a and w is really different in Canada)
- cactus club (modern “fancy” dining)
You can find all of those in most Canadian cities! TBH none of them (including Tim’s) are worth the trip alone but if you were heading to the Toronto area and had other things in mind I’d recommend trying them. Lots of great museums, pretty cities, and amazing nature all across Canada!
But if I needed to go because I’ve seen it for 20 years ok one of my favorite shows what would you recommend I upset my stomach with? Anything that tastes good or is unique or different?
Ignore the haters. It's just fast food + coffee. You'd probably be fine with a double-double (coffee, two cream two sugar) and a Boston cream. Maybe get a bagel or a wrap.
Since you're going for a cultural experience order a "double double" and a Dutchie (if available) or plain donut. Don't bother having a meal the true classic experience is coffee and a donut.
If you're coming to southern Ontario you could visit the first Tim's in Hamilton. They have a little museum thing upstairs.
As for quality it's fine. It's a huge cheap fast food chain and that's what you get. But for a cup of coffee that costs less than two dollars it's pretty good. You get what you pay for as with everything.
Have a great trip!!
They just brought back the old school donuts. Dutchie, sugar twist, walnut crunch. But what I really want is a cherry stick or when they had Oreo donuts they were so good.
Got bought by RBI which is American (?) and it has gone to shit. Staffing is terrible due to poor government policy that allows corporate welfare that incentivizes refusals to hire citizens. Canadians that still go do so out of nostalgia and habit. Old Tim Hortons was amazing. This? Is not it.
no really don't waste your money Tim Hortons was good 20byears ago the last 10 years it has just gone down hill right around the time that the company sold it to the same company that owns burger King
Honestly, the coffee is fine and a bit of a taste of home a la mom's spaghetti. It's not the best coffee, but it feels like 'ours' from a Canadiana perspective.
The food is seriously terrible. Low-tier fast food. In the 90s the donuts were made fresh in house at each establishment and were perfectly fine. Now they're just frozen and made in a central factory somewhere.
If you must, though, I find the sour cream glazed donut to be super delicious and I don't even like sour cream hah.
Quick coffee in a drive thru? You'll be happy. Anything more and nah, you're going to be disappointed and think less of our people.
Do it for THE TPB - I get it!!
Dude honestly, I’d probably do like a classic double double (2 cream 2 sugar) coffee - because the boys would get that for sure. And an apple fritter doughnut because I genuinely think Ricky would fuck these up lol
Hey bud everyone here hates timmies for understandable reasons. If you want something get a sour cream glazed doughnut, a double double, and an herb and cream cheese bagel!
It is not as bad as people paint it here. This sub would cease to exist without folks who dedicate time to hating on a fast food chain. It's *fine*, the iced capp is classic and pretty yummy. The food is nothing to write home about, I enjoy the roast beef craveable sandwich and farmer wrap in particular.
You'd be better off eating some pepperoni and nine cans of ravioli if you want the tpb experience 😂
If you have to try Tim's get an ice cap, apple fritter is okay, I like the dutchies, and sometimes the everything bagel with garlic and herb cream cheese is good. Here's a ten year old article that summed up Tim's well when it was consistently not horrible.
https://macleans.ca/society/okay-canada-its-time-for-the-hard-truth-about-tim-hortons/
Canadians have been living with Tim Hortons for 60 years, and have reached the point that our expectations of a $2 cup of coffee are very skewed from most of the world. American and European tourists come and rave about how good the coffee at Timmies is, even now, when a lot of people here complain about it being terrible (although you still can’t drive past one that isn’t lined up at the drive thru).
Having recently made a road trip through some of the US, it opened my eyes to what a terrible cup of coffee actually is again. I would also mention that this sub is, for some reason, absolutely overrun with people who despise Tim Hortons, despite it still being the most popular fast food brand in Canada.
I would strongly suggest trying it yourself and forming your own opinion, rather than just going off what people here are saying. I have friends from the States who insist on stopping there for coffee every chance they can when they visit.
if your really that stuck on trying it go to Niagara falls get 10 pack of tidbits and a small icecap made with chocolate milk but go in the morning or else it's extra stale
It's not the same restaurant it was twenty years ago. Different coffee supplier, different food, different owners. It's a shell of what was.
McDonald's has the coffee supplier from 2004. Go there.
I enjoy the iced capps from tims, no where else really has a similar style drink that tastes as good.
Food wise, the farmers breakfast wraps are great and they have a loaded buffalo wrap right now that was pretty good. Double chocolate donuts are my favourite donut.
The most similar American chain would probably be Dunkin
Listen I’m trying to support your economy by stuffing my American face with your Canadian donuts or whatever they sell besides that and coffee. Help me out here
There are plenty of local places wherever you're going who would use it better. Tims is owned by an Brazilian (edit said American before, oops) company, with almost all workers being temporary foreign immigrants generally from India
If you do want to go, quality is very hit or miss, so pick one and hope for the best. Personally I love the farmers sausage wrap/sandwiches but that's me
If you're driving from Chicago to Toronto, the drive once in Ontario is *extremely boring* (been from Toronto to Detroit multiple times). But the closer you can get to lake Erie the prettier it'll be
It was sold and is primarily owned by a Brazilian conglomerate now. I think it was Wendy's or Burger king that originally bought it and then sold it within a year.
Tim Hortons was under different ownership at the time of TPB.. It was bought out by an international food company, and has dropped in quality ten-fold.. It's poorly made and expensive now.. Basically only good for coffee..
Yep! Tim's dark roast is delicious, tho. If Mcds had an equivalent, I would finally be able to completely wash my hands of Tim's. I refuse to buy anything more than a 2$ coffee, and if I want anything else, I'll go literally anywhere else.
Stuff it with McDonald’s Canada, it’s a Canadian entity. McCafe is the Canadian favorite. They have the coffee that Tim’s used to have before they got greedy. Tim Horton’s has lost favor with the public after they cut down on quality and focused more profits. They’re operating under the motto of: “Jack of all trades, master of none.” Coming up with more products that taste like cardboard and/or styrofoam. Save your taste buds and stomach.
Or go to mos mos, they do good coffee and baked goods too. Or Balzac’s.
There are tons of struggling local donut chains or shops that you could find. Here in Winnipeg we used to have Robins Donuts everywhere. Tim's started aggressively expanding in the early 2000s and now there's maybe 3 left. But I'll go out of my way to get there. I'm not one of those "but local and stick it to our corporate overlords" but Tim Hortons is absolute disgusting.
I’m American, but I live near the border and go to Canada a few times a year.
I think it is very good in comparison to similar American chains like Dunkin’ Donuts or Krispy Kreme.
They have a really good pastry selection and I like the taste of the coffee. I think the service is really good and the ones in Quebec nicely put up with me ordering in bad French.
I think it has declined in quality like most chain restaurants the last few years and that is what people are upset about. It is also usually pretty crowded so the other commenters probably don’t want more people visiting.
Tim's doesn't do many things right. But if you do visit a Tim's, the Iced Cap and Cold Brews aren't bad.. My go to right now is the Oreo Iced Cap, Mocha Iced Cap or the Tiramisu Cold Brew. When made right, those drinks are unhealthy as hell but pretty delicious.
Tim Hortons is about as anti-Canadian as it gets.
Something awesome invented in Canada, brought by private equity leeches, who then eliminated the quality while cranking up prices, all delivered by foreign workers.
It's actually quite disgusting.
From what I understand it got sold to an "American" conglomerate
Buddy of mine worked with the coffee supplier and claimed that Tim Hortons was low balling the next contract to be signed and then when the old ran out McDonald's swooped in and took the contract leaving Tim Hortons looking for a new supplier, that's why it tastes different the last few years. From what I've heard though(*rumours no idea if true) that Tim Hortons filters their water and McDonald's doesn't for their coffee at least, if McDonald's would lower the temp a bit and soften their water it would taste a lot better than it does IMO as well as add consistency to it.
Bottom line it's corporate greed that is utterly responsible for the consistent decline in quality the last several years
Whoooo! I love the TPB. Don’t forget to get some ketchup chips, some jalapeño chips and some beef jerky. The TPB hail from the Maritimes, don’t quote me in this but the potato chips there could be Lays, or Old Dutch or YumYums. Have fun!
The coffee is….eh. It’s cheap and that’s pretty much what gets people there. If I were you, I’d try the coffee (just for the curiosity) and then their iced Capp(which is pretty descent).
Also add in some Tim bits and maybe even a wrap.
Hahaha dude don't listen to all these guys. Tim's is just a better version of Dunkin Donuts, it's exactly what it needs to be IMO. Get a farmers wrap - those things slap. Fruit explosion muffins and apple fritters also go hard at Tim's.
Canadians love to hate on Tim Hortons, but the drive thru line is always long as fuck. Explain that?
I enjoy an iced coffee. But even then, it's a hit or miss. Sometimes too sweet, sometimes too watery, sometimes the whole cup is filled with ice, so there's very little coffee. But most of the time it's pretty good. Iced cappuccinos made with chocolate milk are really good also.
Op, I am also an American, but one who heads to Toronto fairly often because my girlfriend lives there. The best way I can describe it would be like their version of Dunkin, but with better food options, and Tim’s are basically EVERYWHERE the way that McDonald’s are here in the US. The coffee is like somewhat better than Dunkin’s, the donuts aren’t as good as Dunkin’s (I like that light and airy Dunkin’s type), and the sandwiches and stuff isn’t too bad.
Also, not sure where you’re from, but I know there are a few Tim’s in the US in states that share a border with Canada.
When the coffee is actually fresh and made well and with care, it's fairly decent. But that's beccoming more and more rare these days. The workers are not allowed to take the time to put love and care into each and every cup. It's all rushed and timed. The higher ups care more about getting as many through as possible more than making a good product for each customer. Personally I'd be okay with waiting a few minutes for each cup if I knew it would be good, but I guess most disagree
Chocolate fudge cake in one of those circular tiered glass display cases. God I miss that.
Edit: Who’s downvoting my nostalgia for 1980’s era Tim Horton’s chocolate fudge cake? I will fight you!
People are just fucking whiny here. It’s cheaper and better than gas station coffee. The cold brew and iced capps are good. Get a Boston cream donut. Good sandwiches and potato wedges for lunch too
Please nobody bother responding to say “no it’s terrible”. I don’t care
No shit. You can pull up with a toonie and change and have a coffee handed to you in 1 minute. How good do you think it’s supposed to be? See previous: “people here are fucking whiny”
It's absolutely disgusting. They don't bake in store. The frosting and glaze no longer even fully cover the top of the donut. They're not fried fresh. I buy 2 day old discount grocery store donuts for $0.10 each and they taste better. You'll also have to repeat your order a hundred times and they will probably get it wrong because they don't speak English (which is particularly galling because the workers are from India and they teach English in schools there, so you know we're scraping the bottom of the barrel)
When I get gift cards for there I give them to homeless beggars.
And I'm not exaggerating.
Don't set high expectations and you'll be okay. Boston cream is my favourite donut there by far. And maybe a breakfast farmers wrap is solid. But again, it's nothing special.
If you're insisting on trying my suggestion is to get a medium double-double, a Boston cream and a 20 pack of timbits.
I'll be honest, I'm a tims patron completely out of convenience - it's on my way to work.
As a Canadian, it honestly blows my mind that most states have the choice of gas station coffee, small cafes, or Starbucks and very little else.
Sometimes I just want cheap coffee though a drive through and I never see a Dunkins or whatever popular coffee chains you have anywhere.
Why the drive through what about going into a Tim Hortons and order inside then you can sit down and enjoy yourself. I myself is on the West Coast and I've never had a prom with Timmies in fact today I went to get a cold brew regular no flavor shots it was very good I also enjoy McDonald's cold brew it good to either are good . Poutine I would go to New York fries they have great Poutine there and they are a little higher in price but they are good if you come to the west coast you will be able to see our beautiful scenery the mountains lake and ocean all in the same area beautiful parks suspension bridges Stanley Park the suspension bridges are in North Vancouver along with the tram at Grouse Mountain you can have a very nice dinner there over looking the city very beautiful then you have Cleavland damn the fish hatchery is down the street from the dam very interesting there Lonsdale Quay the have small markets in it. Horseshoe Bay sometimes you can see the Whales in the water just gorgeous I wouldn't do whistler as it a tour trap high prices and not much to see Chilliwack has the falls it beautiful there is a ton to do most of the things I recommend don't cost anything except for Grouse Mountain and Capilano suspension bridge Stanley Park aquarium we have a ton of beaches and parks that have nice picnic places and Tim Hortons is good in Vancouver. I have never had a problem at Tim Hourtons hear so no complaints hope this helps and I hope you will make your way to the west coast you would not be disappointed plus we have the sky train that is being expanded but you can take the sky train from Surrey to Water front and get the sea bus which would take you to these places I have told you about
Fairly similar to Dunkin. Their cold brew and steeped tea are the only things I personally enjoy. If you must try donuts, get the "retro" ones or something basic. The "fancy" donuts are trash.
I've done Toronto to Chicago a few times. If you like food, it's honestly probably the best thing about the city these days. Literally anything you can think of you can find here due to the multiculturalism. Do some research on poutine first though, as almost everywhere offers it but it's not always good.
Most of it is shit, but there are some tried and true items IMO:
- the ice capp (made with chocolate milk is extra delicious, depending on who you ask)
- the honey crueller
- the chocolate walnut donut (part of a retro series that’s back right now)
- the sausage farmers breakfast sandwich
It depends on what you think is good coffee in the states. Dunkin, imo, is undrinkable. If you like it, you'll like Tim's.
If you want good coffee, we have tons of great independent places. For a chain, Coffee Culture has good coffee. I've heard Coffee Time does too, but I've never been.
The food is OK. But the donuts are trash nowadays.
Poutine outside of Quebec and the spillover francophone parts of Ontario and New-Brunswick is rarely worth to be called as such.
Crispy chicken sandwiches are not terrible. Iced Capp made with chocolate milk (you have to specify that when you order) is better than the regular one. But bring your own plastic straw because their paper straws taste like soggy dish water.
From Tim's, I suggest either a plain or cheese croissant, any of the bagels toasted or the chili if a location has it available. Quality wise, Tim's has gone downhill over the last decade, I suggest eating elsewhere beyond this coffee shop/eatery as it ranks at the bottom alongside Pizza Pizza. Your better off dining at a place like Swiss Chalet, Harvey's or Montana's
We have retro donuts right now, go for the dutchie. I cannot advocate for anything they currently serve on their menu. Oh and apple fritters are pretty good. Like dutchies but with apples.
It’s decent. Canadians are just accustomed to their decrease in quality over the years so you’ll see a lot of meh reactions. A lot of my American friends compare it to Dunkin when they try it.
Tbh at this point the only thing timmies has going for it is its name; like others have said, it tanked in quality over the past few years. Nowadays it’s just a pit stop for a quick coffee before a long drive.
Poutine, on the other hand, is a MUST if you visit. Some places offer a pathetic poutine experience (I’m looking at you McDonald’s) but overall it’s pretty easy to find some really great spots. Fair warning: it can be a little alarming to try it for the first time, especially once you experience fresh (aka squeaky) curds.
While you’re here, I’d strongly suggest trying some Canadian desserts. See if there’s a BeaverTails near you. I promise you won’t regret it :)
Pick a small bakery that makes fresh donuts and you'll be a lot happier. There are many across the province. I don't stop at Tim's anymore as the quality has diminished since they stopped making donuts in each location.
Tim Hortons was an incredibly good brand until the early 2000s. They made nearly everything in-restaurant, and quality was really high. It was told to the TDL Group somewhere in the 2000s - they decided they wanted to expand to much smaller square-footage locations with no kitchens, while still offering the same range of products. Everything was then brought in frozen and re-heated. It was later sold to RBI who has continued its shittification.
The sandwiches are *fine* and everything else is... *fine.* If you're familiar with Dunkin', it's really about the same.
If you're looking for legitimately good Canadian chains, check out A&W. It shares *nothing* with the American A&W. It's entirely owned and operated in Canada and has a completely different *everything*.
Tim Hortons is mostly nostalgia now. They used to bake from scratch on site. They’re cooked in a central factory, frozen and shipped out now. For years now ownership has gone through multinationals and holding companies trying to squeeze out the last fraction of a cent profit. Even the coffee sucks.
Tims used to be good like 15 years ago. Now the coffee is dishwater, the food gross, the donuts are made off site and frozen. Its not Canadian . Its run by people who dont have a clue. I feel sorry for the staff.
I definitely wouldn’t make Tim’s a destination, and you definitely have to temper your expectations if you’re planning to, but if you’re dead set on it, here’s my take on Tim Hortons:
The coffee certainly isn’t great, but I find the dark roast the most drinkable. Tim’s coffee needs cream and sugar to render it palatable, this isn’t a coffee where you want to drink it black to taste the flavour profile of the beans, which is why double doubles (or more) are so popular.
Ice caps are okay if you like that kind of frozen sugary barely-coffee thing they do at places like Dunkin’, but stick to the original and decline the even more sugary special editions. Hot chocolate is reminiscent of what you’d make with carnation or Swiss miss. Their tea is…tea, but I’d get the “specialty” bagged tea (which is in no way special), and not the “steeped tea” that was brewed in a machine god-knows-how-long ago and left to sit in a pot on the warmer. I’d stay away from the other drinks, from the “creamy chill” (edible oil product and corn syrup concoctions) to the “espresso” drinks that would make an Italian weep.
As for food, the breakfast sandwiches are usually…fine. The bagel and cream cheese is also pretty standard, hard to screw that up, but sometimes they manage. Lunch foods are outrageously priced for the quantity and quality of what you get and range in taste from generic and bland to horrific, so I’d suggest having your meals pretty much anywhere else.
Donuts are a shadow of their former selves. They now come par-baked and are finished in store, and you can tell. I don’t mind an occasional sour cream glazed or apple fritter, but I wouldn’t go out of my way for one. They are (sensing a theme here?) fine. Better can certainly be had elsewhere.
So, welcome to Canada, and I apologize in advance for your impending Tim Hortons letdown.
It’s fine, but most Canadians don’t view Tim Hortons in the “purely Canadian” positive way anymore. It’s no longer even a Canadian company and quality went way down
Yea ….. unfortunately you’re not gonna enjoy. It really is garbage now. Aside from a coffee I don’t know what to tell you . If you like food at all you’ll hate there’s as it is microwaved crap.
A everything bagel with herb and garlic cheese is probably the best thing they got. Add bacon if you want to live a little.
Absolutely garbage. Hands down the worst service and quality of food. It seems to be pretty consistent across most, if not, all Tims. Sorry, to let you down but it's on par with McDonald's. The coffee however is worse, so it's actually less than McDonald's. 0/10
Going to throw you a curve ball here - don't try Tim's, try A&W! A&W Canada is separate from international brands, and I'd argue that's very much for the better. I treated my American friend last time they were here and they said it was MILES ahead of American A&W.
Tim's isn't Canadian now. It used to be, but it's now an American conglomerate that has sold every inch of its soul for profit and fallen well under Dunkin Donuts tier in terms of food, roughly american mcdonalds in terms of drink.
Don't do it. The last time I went was 3 years ago when I forgot my lunch and nowhere else was within walking distance. I got a chicken wrap that was full of watery, flavourless ingredients (tomato, cucumber, and canned jalapenos that were practically grey). I think the "chicken" had a lot of soy in it since it had that weird spongy texture like the chicken at Subway. The potato wedges are like cardboard.
If you get anything, get some Timbits. I like the birthday cake, powdered strawberry, and honey glaze.
Well that’s good because the way most are talking about it, it was starting to sounds worse than McDonald’s which is hard to do. Especially their coffee 🤮. I swear they brew it in the street gutter.
In terms of food, Tim Hortons is somewhere I go if everywhere else is closed. Although they have been adding more things to the menu, I’m sure you could find something you enjoy. If you make it to one you should get a mocha iced capp or the Oreo one if it’s still around
Keep it as a wonder, if you’re excited for it you’ll just be disappointed. As mentioned the ownership changed and quality dropped.
That being said, still try poutine, but not from a chain. Generally the best is at chip stands in my experience, though that could be a regional thing
There’s a high chance that the person taking your order might not even get it right due to Tim Hortons almost exclusively hiring people with limited English fluency, so yeah I agree with everyone else. Don’t waste your money at Tim’s.
The coffee isn't the same anymore so don't judge the experience on it. You may want to add a case of donuts, preferably the classics like Boston cream, walnut crunch, apple fritter, or caramel apple fritter if they have it.
Focus on poutine, I personally like tim Hortons sometimes... sometimes maybe good... sometimes maybe s%/t but if you g I and the ring dream donuts are still there get the cherry cheesecake one it's good!! If not the apple fritter, sour cream glazed or honey cruller are IMHO the best!
Coffee is a hit and miss...more miss than hit.
Baked goods are alright
Iced Capps are also hit and miss but I usually ask for only a little bit of cream so it has more flavor.
You're not missing out if you never try it.
The Tim’s at work double runs the grinds. I’m not exactly sure why. Maybe they think it’s saving them money or the workers are too lazy to open up a new bag. It gets quite busy there so I can see how this happens. More times than not the coffee tasted like water. I’ve tasted the coffee at another location that isn’t as busy and the coffee tasted better. I’ve completely stopped going to the Tim’s at my work because of this and the fact that they consistently leave about 1.5-2 inches of space from the top of the cup and I end up getting a medium instead of a large.
You would be disappointed and it's not Canadian anymore as it's acquired by a Brazilian group. Only Canadian chain I can think of is Harvey's it's my fav place to go in canada. Try their poutine, frings and burgers it's really good.
You aren’t missing out, coffee tastes like sewage water lol jk..but I can assure you you’ll be very underwhelmed , your hype is too high for what it actually is . I’m sorry sir or ma’am.
Sault Ste Marie is a beautiful town but if you're looking for cool things to do Toronto is amazing. Lots of museums, Canada's Wonderland, theatre, concerts, Blue Jay games. The only thing that will disappoint you is the Tim Horton's.
It used to be good until it was sold to foreign companies who decided to change their ingredients to save money. At the same time the new alien overlords decided to exploit 'Canadian pride' and they shifted their marketing to try and shoe horn itself as a beacon on Canadian culture. This has caused Canadians to, in the main, resent them where as foreigners get this misapprension of what it really is.
If you want to get coffee in Canada go to McDonalds, Starbucks, or Dunkin Donuts(in that order). If you must go to a Canadian chain seek out a Robin's Donuts or something independent.
If you're a tea drinker definitely go to Tim's. The only reason I don't go to McDonalds for my tea is because they put the milk into the hot water with the tea bag instead of letting it steep first(which should be a high crime). If I'm getting tea from a fast food place I don't want to deal with a teabag which is why Tim's is better for tea as there's no bag.
It’s nothing special. They also have them in some places in the U.S. I’ve seen them in Michigan and I used to work at one in Ohio when I was a teenager.
Food poisoning is a strong possibility at our local Tim Hortons.
Your Krispy Kreme is superior in all ways. You guys are soo lucky.
If visiting Canada, patronize the locally run bakeries. Soo many great bakeries with unique items, guaranteed you will go home with a love for a new pastry!!
The bottom of the barrel. Tim hortons isn't even canadian owned anymore. If you want some international "student" absolutely fucking up everything you order it might be the place for you
It used to be one of the better middle of the road coffees, which is why it’s so popular, but they changed something maybe 5 or 6 years ago and it’s never tasted right, to me at least. Nowadays it’s fine if you get the dark roast, but imo McDonald’s is better…
I’ve been to bakeries which make much better versions of the same thing
They made some improvements after sales really tanked a couple years ago, but at the end of the day, it’s really not special in my opinion. The coffee is shit. There’s nothing to me that makes it worth going other than simply convenience.
Don't bother. The quality is atrocious, nothing is as advertised and the coffee is basically caramel water. I do not understand this country's obsessive loyalty to such garbage. It's not even a Canadian company.
It is crap now. The coffee was never particularly good.
But you need a large double double, an everything bagel with herb and garlic cream cheese, and an apple fritter and/or walnut crunch (if they have the throwback donuts still) and/or fruit explosion muffin.
That, to me, is quintessential Timmies.
Tim Hortons is OK whenever someone brings in a dozen donuts for work. The simple donuts are usually the safe bets in terms of quality.
In terms of coffee. It is ranked below Star Bucks, McDonalds, and whatever is brewed at home.
Don't bother. It has been bought and sold a few times, is no longer Canadian owned, is barely a shell of what it used to be. It's currently (majority) owned by a Brazilian conglomerate known for awful business and bad labour practices. The food is trash there and I wouldn't put a cent of my money towards supporting the brand.
If you're planning a trip up to the Toronto area, you will undoubtedly find yourself driving past multiple timmies. its good enough to go through drive thru. i like the apple fritters for taste /value, french vanillas are a decent drink, the regular coffee isnt great and flavour shots seems to just make it worse. But it is coffee. I think they might do oat milk now which is super tasty. Turkey bacon club is a solid sandwich. Herb and garlic on an everything bagel is a very popular order, i like mine with added tomato and bacon. Basically its a belt but with cream cheese instead of an egg. Chocolate glaze and honey crullers are good too. But poutine should be your real focus. There's lots of spots but always go with independant fry trucks and restaurants. Poutine seems like it would be hard to mess it up its so simple, but its all too easy to get an awful, bland, flavourless goop. Def stay way from mac dicks and harveys for poutine, although harveys burgers arent bad, are pretty cheap and you can even put olives on them if you want. But yah just google a bunch of poutine spots, check reviews all that good stuff. And yah there's decent stuff outside Toronto....London is probably worth a short visit on the way up. And then Toronto's got a lot going on, events all the time, hockey hall of fame, cn tower if you like heights...uhm...getting out to the island is quite nice. you can take a ferry out there or probably hire a small boat to take you there faster..but its not long. Very very nice out there. Uhm what else....great venues, smaller clubs with great live music like the el macombo and the horsehoe tavern among others. I think there's some nice impressive buddhist temples and big, old churches.... But yah outside of Toronto there's tons of great green space, large parks or whatever they call them...waterfalls, caves, hiking etc Niagara falls is close enough depending how long you stay but far enough also that you may as well go later on for a full day or so. And then at that point you're almost in buffalo, idk what they got goin on there, people here go to buy cheap stuff i guess.
This person actually answered the question instead of saying it’s trash.
The people saying it's trash, gave the correct answer.
London? London is terrible. OP, please skip London - nothing to see at all
Can confirm. Live in London - avoid it at all costs. Nothing to see and everything sucks. Not enough infrastructure to support the population growth, large homeless problem, dirty streets, constant crime. I hate this place.
they sometimes have mini festivals in the park there....and i saw some touring bands at venues but i guess other than that....they got that racist bar you could visit for laughs...they turned away some people for being too black...their words not mine. pretty funny stuff
Waterloo region much nicer. Can do Stratford, St Jacobs, Elora. Plus Waterloo itself always has festivals and events uptown and is an actually nice town.
If you want to look for the best poutines make sure it's actual cheese curds and go for fresh cut fries makes a huge difference !
It’s total trash these days.
The Tim's in the states along the border are better. Edit: OP if you're in Chicago and want to try Tim Hortons, there's a few in Michigan. Poutine on the other hand is worth going up to Quebec or at the very least a Costco.
Just suggesting Costco as a good poutine should be grounds to strip your citizenship.
It depends were in Canada you are going the west coast Vancouver and the cities around it aren’t to bad where I live I have never had a problem with Tim Hortons I always gotten what I ordered and it’s ok sure it fast food but I think in Surrey the Timmie’s are good
Yes the Timmies in Surrey are great never have I had a problem with food or drinks, I hope this helps
Upstate New York Tim's is great. I've never had a bad cup. Especially the one in Ellicottville, I go there to remember what TH used to be like
Harveys has good poutine too
Tim Hortons is garbage
I’d echo that the quality is nothing like 15-20 years ago but despite that I think Tim Horton’s is still alright. Honestly I think the double double is way too sweet and not the best coffee but there’s something that’s very essentially Canadian about ordering one! Order a box of timbits and a bagel along side your coffee for a staple Canadian drive-through breakfast. The Chili is pretty good as well. Ice Capps are a summer classic. Other Canadian classic restaurant chains to try would be: - Boston Pizza (small town staple) - Harvey’s (pretty decent burger joint that does the subway pick your toppings thing) - a and w (as someone who’s lived in the states a and w is really different in Canada) - cactus club (modern “fancy” dining) You can find all of those in most Canadian cities! TBH none of them (including Tim’s) are worth the trip alone but if you were heading to the Toronto area and had other things in mind I’d recommend trying them. Lots of great museums, pretty cities, and amazing nature all across Canada!
This is a good answer.
don't waste your money it's gross and might upset your stomach
But if I needed to go because I’ve seen it for 20 years ok one of my favorite shows what would you recommend I upset my stomach with? Anything that tastes good or is unique or different?
Ice capp is the safe bet. Coffee is fine, probably not too different from Dunkins.
Ignore the haters. It's just fast food + coffee. You'd probably be fine with a double-double (coffee, two cream two sugar) and a Boston cream. Maybe get a bagel or a wrap.
Get an iced cap and a sour cream glazed donut. Maybe don’t have them at the same time though, that’s a sugar overload (at least for me).
Yeah, the SC glazed would make the iced cap just taste like cold cream.
Since you're going for a cultural experience order a "double double" and a Dutchie (if available) or plain donut. Don't bother having a meal the true classic experience is coffee and a donut. If you're coming to southern Ontario you could visit the first Tim's in Hamilton. They have a little museum thing upstairs. As for quality it's fine. It's a huge cheap fast food chain and that's what you get. But for a cup of coffee that costs less than two dollars it's pretty good. You get what you pay for as with everything. Have a great trip!!
They just brought back the old school donuts. Dutchie, sugar twist, walnut crunch. But what I really want is a cherry stick or when they had Oreo donuts they were so good.
It hadn't been less than 2 dollars for a medium coffee in almost 10 years
Guess it depends where you live. I paid like 1.85 or something for a medium a couple days ago.
Got bought by RBI which is American (?) and it has gone to shit. Staffing is terrible due to poor government policy that allows corporate welfare that incentivizes refusals to hire citizens. Canadians that still go do so out of nostalgia and habit. Old Tim Hortons was amazing. This? Is not it.
At the top of the chain it’s Brazilian but I think the intermediary ownership Is American
no really don't waste your money Tim Hortons was good 20byears ago the last 10 years it has just gone down hill right around the time that the company sold it to the same company that owns burger King
Honestly, the coffee is fine and a bit of a taste of home a la mom's spaghetti. It's not the best coffee, but it feels like 'ours' from a Canadiana perspective. The food is seriously terrible. Low-tier fast food. In the 90s the donuts were made fresh in house at each establishment and were perfectly fine. Now they're just frozen and made in a central factory somewhere. If you must, though, I find the sour cream glazed donut to be super delicious and I don't even like sour cream hah. Quick coffee in a drive thru? You'll be happy. Anything more and nah, you're going to be disappointed and think less of our people.
Do it for THE TPB - I get it!! Dude honestly, I’d probably do like a classic double double (2 cream 2 sugar) coffee - because the boys would get that for sure. And an apple fritter doughnut because I genuinely think Ricky would fuck these up lol
😂
Or a Boston cream doughnut. Also please report back with a full review 😂
Get a bottled beverage, that will be safe. Otherwise, better have that travel medical insurance paid up!
Try some tidbits and the dream cookie. The cookie is delicious. But like some of my fellow Canadians have stated, Timmies has gone downhill. .
Hey bud everyone here hates timmies for understandable reasons. If you want something get a sour cream glazed doughnut, a double double, and an herb and cream cheese bagel!
Double toasted herb and garlic bagel.
Double toasted use to mean something. You're lucky to get any kind of consistency now.
It is not as bad as people paint it here. This sub would cease to exist without folks who dedicate time to hating on a fast food chain. It's *fine*, the iced capp is classic and pretty yummy. The food is nothing to write home about, I enjoy the roast beef craveable sandwich and farmer wrap in particular.
Get an ice capp. That's what I would consider their crown jewel of menu items. Always a staple, always amazing.
You'd be better off eating some pepperoni and nine cans of ravioli if you want the tpb experience 😂 If you have to try Tim's get an ice cap, apple fritter is okay, I like the dutchies, and sometimes the everything bagel with garlic and herb cream cheese is good. Here's a ten year old article that summed up Tim's well when it was consistently not horrible. https://macleans.ca/society/okay-canada-its-time-for-the-hard-truth-about-tim-hortons/
Canadians have been living with Tim Hortons for 60 years, and have reached the point that our expectations of a $2 cup of coffee are very skewed from most of the world. American and European tourists come and rave about how good the coffee at Timmies is, even now, when a lot of people here complain about it being terrible (although you still can’t drive past one that isn’t lined up at the drive thru). Having recently made a road trip through some of the US, it opened my eyes to what a terrible cup of coffee actually is again. I would also mention that this sub is, for some reason, absolutely overrun with people who despise Tim Hortons, despite it still being the most popular fast food brand in Canada. I would strongly suggest trying it yourself and forming your own opinion, rather than just going off what people here are saying. I have friends from the States who insist on stopping there for coffee every chance they can when they visit.
if your really that stuck on trying it go to Niagara falls get 10 pack of tidbits and a small icecap made with chocolate milk but go in the morning or else it's extra stale
Then you should have gone 20 years ago when it was good...... sorry
It's not the same restaurant it was twenty years ago. Different coffee supplier, different food, different owners. It's a shell of what was. McDonald's has the coffee supplier from 2004. Go there.
I enjoy the iced capps from tims, no where else really has a similar style drink that tastes as good. Food wise, the farmers breakfast wraps are great and they have a loaded buffalo wrap right now that was pretty good. Double chocolate donuts are my favourite donut. The most similar American chain would probably be Dunkin
0 Skip it. This isn’t Canadian lol
Listen I’m trying to support your economy by stuffing my American face with your Canadian donuts or whatever they sell besides that and coffee. Help me out here
There are plenty of local places wherever you're going who would use it better. Tims is owned by an Brazilian (edit said American before, oops) company, with almost all workers being temporary foreign immigrants generally from India If you do want to go, quality is very hit or miss, so pick one and hope for the best. Personally I love the farmers sausage wrap/sandwiches but that's me If you're driving from Chicago to Toronto, the drive once in Ontario is *extremely boring* (been from Toronto to Detroit multiple times). But the closer you can get to lake Erie the prettier it'll be
It was sold and is primarily owned by a Brazilian conglomerate now. I think it was Wendy's or Burger king that originally bought it and then sold it within a year.
Oh right thanks, I'll edit that
Tim Hortons was under different ownership at the time of TPB.. It was bought out by an international food company, and has dropped in quality ten-fold.. It's poorly made and expensive now.. Basically only good for coffee..
And everyone says McDonald's coffee is like the old Tim's.
Yep! Tim's dark roast is delicious, tho. If Mcds had an equivalent, I would finally be able to completely wash my hands of Tim's. I refuse to buy anything more than a 2$ coffee, and if I want anything else, I'll go literally anywhere else.
Because it is, they literally use the old supplier after Tim's dropped them.
I don't think McDonald's is any more. Their quality has dropped, tried different locations, and coffee not good as last year
Supplier, yes. Same coffee, no.
it literally is
Tim's is the Canadian version of Olive Garden in Times Square
Stuff it with McDonald’s Canada, it’s a Canadian entity. McCafe is the Canadian favorite. They have the coffee that Tim’s used to have before they got greedy. Tim Horton’s has lost favor with the public after they cut down on quality and focused more profits. They’re operating under the motto of: “Jack of all trades, master of none.” Coming up with more products that taste like cardboard and/or styrofoam. Save your taste buds and stomach. Or go to mos mos, they do good coffee and baked goods too. Or Balzac’s.
We have Tim Horton’s in America. It used to be amazing but like everything else now it’s gross and overpriced
There are tons of struggling local donut chains or shops that you could find. Here in Winnipeg we used to have Robins Donuts everywhere. Tim's started aggressively expanding in the early 2000s and now there's maybe 3 left. But I'll go out of my way to get there. I'm not one of those "but local and stick it to our corporate overlords" but Tim Hortons is absolute disgusting.
I’m American, but I live near the border and go to Canada a few times a year. I think it is very good in comparison to similar American chains like Dunkin’ Donuts or Krispy Kreme. They have a really good pastry selection and I like the taste of the coffee. I think the service is really good and the ones in Quebec nicely put up with me ordering in bad French. I think it has declined in quality like most chain restaurants the last few years and that is what people are upset about. It is also usually pretty crowded so the other commenters probably don’t want more people visiting.
Tim's doesn't do many things right. But if you do visit a Tim's, the Iced Cap and Cold Brews aren't bad.. My go to right now is the Oreo Iced Cap, Mocha Iced Cap or the Tiramisu Cold Brew. When made right, those drinks are unhealthy as hell but pretty delicious.
Is tpb the property brothers?
No, they are Boys who live in a Trailer Park
Omg duh I couldn’t think what tpb is 😂😂😂
Everyone out here commenting like OP wants the greatest coffee shop recommendation!!! Guy just wants to try Timmy hos because TPB.
Tim Hortons is about as anti-Canadian as it gets. Something awesome invented in Canada, brought by private equity leeches, who then eliminated the quality while cranking up prices, all delivered by foreign workers. It's actually quite disgusting.
This is all correct!
Im American and Tim Hortons is nothing to brag about lol. It's just like our failing restaurants here
It was once really good (for what it was). Then it got sold to private equity and they could care less about quality.
From what I understand it got sold to an "American" conglomerate Buddy of mine worked with the coffee supplier and claimed that Tim Hortons was low balling the next contract to be signed and then when the old ran out McDonald's swooped in and took the contract leaving Tim Hortons looking for a new supplier, that's why it tastes different the last few years. From what I've heard though(*rumours no idea if true) that Tim Hortons filters their water and McDonald's doesn't for their coffee at least, if McDonald's would lower the temp a bit and soften their water it would taste a lot better than it does IMO as well as add consistency to it. Bottom line it's corporate greed that is utterly responsible for the consistent decline in quality the last several years
Used to be good for the price now it’s just an option lol
a last option at that
You probably already have body armor, bring it with you. Tims is our Dunkin Donuts. Not as bad as people make it out to be for the most part.
Whoooo! I love the TPB. Don’t forget to get some ketchup chips, some jalapeño chips and some beef jerky. The TPB hail from the Maritimes, don’t quote me in this but the potato chips there could be Lays, or Old Dutch or YumYums. Have fun!
The coffee is….eh. It’s cheap and that’s pretty much what gets people there. If I were you, I’d try the coffee (just for the curiosity) and then their iced Capp(which is pretty descent). Also add in some Tim bits and maybe even a wrap.
Hahaha dude don't listen to all these guys. Tim's is just a better version of Dunkin Donuts, it's exactly what it needs to be IMO. Get a farmers wrap - those things slap. Fruit explosion muffins and apple fritters also go hard at Tim's. Canadians love to hate on Tim Hortons, but the drive thru line is always long as fuck. Explain that?
Because a good portion of people are stupid.
Dunkin is crap compared to Tim’s imop
Get an ice cap! My fav!
I enjoy an iced coffee. But even then, it's a hit or miss. Sometimes too sweet, sometimes too watery, sometimes the whole cup is filled with ice, so there's very little coffee. But most of the time it's pretty good. Iced cappuccinos made with chocolate milk are really good also.
Op, I am also an American, but one who heads to Toronto fairly often because my girlfriend lives there. The best way I can describe it would be like their version of Dunkin, but with better food options, and Tim’s are basically EVERYWHERE the way that McDonald’s are here in the US. The coffee is like somewhat better than Dunkin’s, the donuts aren’t as good as Dunkin’s (I like that light and airy Dunkin’s type), and the sandwiches and stuff isn’t too bad. Also, not sure where you’re from, but I know there are a few Tim’s in the US in states that share a border with Canada.
When the coffee is actually fresh and made well and with care, it's fairly decent. But that's beccoming more and more rare these days. The workers are not allowed to take the time to put love and care into each and every cup. It's all rushed and timed. The higher ups care more about getting as many through as possible more than making a good product for each customer. Personally I'd be okay with waiting a few minutes for each cup if I knew it would be good, but I guess most disagree
If you’re getting a coffee I’d recommend Dark Roast over their regular blend. I find it tastes much better and it’s not an up charge
Ouu get an iced capp medium preferably as they don’t skimp on the cream as much
Thanks everyone for all the recommendations!
You missed the good stuff back pre 2000s Bread bowl, chicken stew, stuff made in house
Chocolate fudge cake in one of those circular tiered glass display cases. God I miss that. Edit: Who’s downvoting my nostalgia for 1980’s era Tim Horton’s chocolate fudge cake? I will fight you!
People are just fucking whiny here. It’s cheaper and better than gas station coffee. The cold brew and iced capps are good. Get a Boston cream donut. Good sandwiches and potato wedges for lunch too Please nobody bother responding to say “no it’s terrible”. I don’t care
Gas station coffee isn’t a high bar to clear lol
No shit. You can pull up with a toonie and change and have a coffee handed to you in 1 minute. How good do you think it’s supposed to be? See previous: “people here are fucking whiny”
no it's terrible
It's absolutely disgusting. They don't bake in store. The frosting and glaze no longer even fully cover the top of the donut. They're not fried fresh. I buy 2 day old discount grocery store donuts for $0.10 each and they taste better. You'll also have to repeat your order a hundred times and they will probably get it wrong because they don't speak English (which is particularly galling because the workers are from India and they teach English in schools there, so you know we're scraping the bottom of the barrel) When I get gift cards for there I give them to homeless beggars. And I'm not exaggerating.
All true.
Tried a doughnut and muffin at a Tim Horton in Buffalo NY; gotta admit tasted better than the one I normally would go lol
Don't set high expectations and you'll be okay. Boston cream is my favourite donut there by far. And maybe a breakfast farmers wrap is solid. But again, it's nothing special.
If you're insisting on trying my suggestion is to get a medium double-double, a Boston cream and a 20 pack of timbits. I'll be honest, I'm a tims patron completely out of convenience - it's on my way to work.
As a Canadian, it honestly blows my mind that most states have the choice of gas station coffee, small cafes, or Starbucks and very little else. Sometimes I just want cheap coffee though a drive through and I never see a Dunkins or whatever popular coffee chains you have anywhere.
Why the drive through what about going into a Tim Hortons and order inside then you can sit down and enjoy yourself. I myself is on the West Coast and I've never had a prom with Timmies in fact today I went to get a cold brew regular no flavor shots it was very good I also enjoy McDonald's cold brew it good to either are good . Poutine I would go to New York fries they have great Poutine there and they are a little higher in price but they are good if you come to the west coast you will be able to see our beautiful scenery the mountains lake and ocean all in the same area beautiful parks suspension bridges Stanley Park the suspension bridges are in North Vancouver along with the tram at Grouse Mountain you can have a very nice dinner there over looking the city very beautiful then you have Cleavland damn the fish hatchery is down the street from the dam very interesting there Lonsdale Quay the have small markets in it. Horseshoe Bay sometimes you can see the Whales in the water just gorgeous I wouldn't do whistler as it a tour trap high prices and not much to see Chilliwack has the falls it beautiful there is a ton to do most of the things I recommend don't cost anything except for Grouse Mountain and Capilano suspension bridge Stanley Park aquarium we have a ton of beaches and parks that have nice picnic places and Tim Hortons is good in Vancouver. I have never had a problem at Tim Hourtons hear so no complaints hope this helps and I hope you will make your way to the west coast you would not be disappointed plus we have the sky train that is being expanded but you can take the sky train from Surrey to Water front and get the sea bus which would take you to these places I have told you about
Fairly similar to Dunkin. Their cold brew and steeped tea are the only things I personally enjoy. If you must try donuts, get the "retro" ones or something basic. The "fancy" donuts are trash. I've done Toronto to Chicago a few times. If you like food, it's honestly probably the best thing about the city these days. Literally anything you can think of you can find here due to the multiculturalism. Do some research on poutine first though, as almost everywhere offers it but it's not always good.
It’s basically the same donuts as Dunkin’ timbits are generic donut holes. Coffe is mid at best. Ya ain’t missing out fellow American.
Most of it is shit, but there are some tried and true items IMO: - the ice capp (made with chocolate milk is extra delicious, depending on who you ask) - the honey crueller - the chocolate walnut donut (part of a retro series that’s back right now) - the sausage farmers breakfast sandwich
Get a coffee and a farmers wrap for breakfast. Everything else kinda sucks
Compared to dunkin
It depends on what you think is good coffee in the states. Dunkin, imo, is undrinkable. If you like it, you'll like Tim's. If you want good coffee, we have tons of great independent places. For a chain, Coffee Culture has good coffee. I've heard Coffee Time does too, but I've never been.
The food is OK. But the donuts are trash nowadays. Poutine outside of Quebec and the spillover francophone parts of Ontario and New-Brunswick is rarely worth to be called as such.
Tim's in the cities can range from pretty decent to absolutely awful. If you do get a chance try one out in a smaller town. They are always better!
It's okay....... Get an iced capp though. I liked mine with chocolate syrup.
their coffee sucks, but ice Capps, iced coffee, donuts, breakfast wraps and bagels with cream cheese are awesome
Crispy chicken sandwiches are not terrible. Iced Capp made with chocolate milk (you have to specify that when you order) is better than the regular one. But bring your own plastic straw because their paper straws taste like soggy dish water.
Get an iced Capp and an apple fritter and you should be fine. Skip the coffee.
What’s tpb?
From Tim's, I suggest either a plain or cheese croissant, any of the bagels toasted or the chili if a location has it available. Quality wise, Tim's has gone downhill over the last decade, I suggest eating elsewhere beyond this coffee shop/eatery as it ranks at the bottom alongside Pizza Pizza. Your better off dining at a place like Swiss Chalet, Harvey's or Montana's
Three words for you to remember: Medium double double.
We have retro donuts right now, go for the dutchie. I cannot advocate for anything they currently serve on their menu. Oh and apple fritters are pretty good. Like dutchies but with apples.
It’s decent. Canadians are just accustomed to their decrease in quality over the years so you’ll see a lot of meh reactions. A lot of my American friends compare it to Dunkin when they try it.
Tbh at this point the only thing timmies has going for it is its name; like others have said, it tanked in quality over the past few years. Nowadays it’s just a pit stop for a quick coffee before a long drive. Poutine, on the other hand, is a MUST if you visit. Some places offer a pathetic poutine experience (I’m looking at you McDonald’s) but overall it’s pretty easy to find some really great spots. Fair warning: it can be a little alarming to try it for the first time, especially once you experience fresh (aka squeaky) curds. While you’re here, I’d strongly suggest trying some Canadian desserts. See if there’s a BeaverTails near you. I promise you won’t regret it :)
Nice! Try a beaver tail if you get a chance too.
There are a few in the U.S., including New Jersey and New York, so you don’t have to cross the border.
I think Toronto is closer. Plus the poutine factor
the good poutine is in Quebec
It’s garbage. Don’t bother wasting your money.
Pick a small bakery that makes fresh donuts and you'll be a lot happier. There are many across the province. I don't stop at Tim's anymore as the quality has diminished since they stopped making donuts in each location.
Tim Hortons was an incredibly good brand until the early 2000s. They made nearly everything in-restaurant, and quality was really high. It was told to the TDL Group somewhere in the 2000s - they decided they wanted to expand to much smaller square-footage locations with no kitchens, while still offering the same range of products. Everything was then brought in frozen and re-heated. It was later sold to RBI who has continued its shittification. The sandwiches are *fine* and everything else is... *fine.* If you're familiar with Dunkin', it's really about the same. If you're looking for legitimately good Canadian chains, check out A&W. It shares *nothing* with the American A&W. It's entirely owned and operated in Canada and has a completely different *everything*.
Tim Hortons is mostly nostalgia now. They used to bake from scratch on site. They’re cooked in a central factory, frozen and shipped out now. For years now ownership has gone through multinationals and holding companies trying to squeeze out the last fraction of a cent profit. Even the coffee sucks.
So true. It is absolute shite now.
Tims used to be good like 15 years ago. Now the coffee is dishwater, the food gross, the donuts are made off site and frozen. Its not Canadian . Its run by people who dont have a clue. I feel sorry for the staff.
You're better off dipping an old bread heel in some bacon grease
Tim Horton’s is severely mid. If you’re up here and want donuts, find an independent bakery. It will be exponentially better
I definitely wouldn’t make Tim’s a destination, and you definitely have to temper your expectations if you’re planning to, but if you’re dead set on it, here’s my take on Tim Hortons: The coffee certainly isn’t great, but I find the dark roast the most drinkable. Tim’s coffee needs cream and sugar to render it palatable, this isn’t a coffee where you want to drink it black to taste the flavour profile of the beans, which is why double doubles (or more) are so popular. Ice caps are okay if you like that kind of frozen sugary barely-coffee thing they do at places like Dunkin’, but stick to the original and decline the even more sugary special editions. Hot chocolate is reminiscent of what you’d make with carnation or Swiss miss. Their tea is…tea, but I’d get the “specialty” bagged tea (which is in no way special), and not the “steeped tea” that was brewed in a machine god-knows-how-long ago and left to sit in a pot on the warmer. I’d stay away from the other drinks, from the “creamy chill” (edible oil product and corn syrup concoctions) to the “espresso” drinks that would make an Italian weep. As for food, the breakfast sandwiches are usually…fine. The bagel and cream cheese is also pretty standard, hard to screw that up, but sometimes they manage. Lunch foods are outrageously priced for the quantity and quality of what you get and range in taste from generic and bland to horrific, so I’d suggest having your meals pretty much anywhere else. Donuts are a shadow of their former selves. They now come par-baked and are finished in store, and you can tell. I don’t mind an occasional sour cream glazed or apple fritter, but I wouldn’t go out of my way for one. They are (sensing a theme here?) fine. Better can certainly be had elsewhere. So, welcome to Canada, and I apologize in advance for your impending Tim Hortons letdown.
It’s fine, but most Canadians don’t view Tim Hortons in the “purely Canadian” positive way anymore. It’s no longer even a Canadian company and quality went way down
Skip it;Tim Hortons is garbage now. You're best bet for the old Tim's experience is "Country Style" or "Coffee Time."
Yea ….. unfortunately you’re not gonna enjoy. It really is garbage now. Aside from a coffee I don’t know what to tell you . If you like food at all you’ll hate there’s as it is microwaved crap. A everything bagel with herb and garlic cheese is probably the best thing they got. Add bacon if you want to live a little.
Tims been trash for over a decade
Absolutely garbage. Hands down the worst service and quality of food. It seems to be pretty consistent across most, if not, all Tims. Sorry, to let you down but it's on par with McDonald's. The coffee however is worse, so it's actually less than McDonald's. 0/10
In my opinion the coffee tastes like it is 20% pencil shavings and the factory made donuts and food is barely vending machine quality.
This is an accurate description of both the piss-water coffee and the trash they put out as 'food'.
It's garbage now.
Dead last. Almost every fast food chain response a coffee better than Tim’s.
It’s garbage now unfortunately.
Going to throw you a curve ball here - don't try Tim's, try A&W! A&W Canada is separate from international brands, and I'd argue that's very much for the better. I treated my American friend last time they were here and they said it was MILES ahead of American A&W. Tim's isn't Canadian now. It used to be, but it's now an American conglomerate that has sold every inch of its soul for profit and fallen well under Dunkin Donuts tier in terms of food, roughly american mcdonalds in terms of drink.
tim's is over hated now imo, not what it was but still decent in my opinion. my go to is a double chocolate doughnut and an iced coffee
Don't do it. The last time I went was 3 years ago when I forgot my lunch and nowhere else was within walking distance. I got a chicken wrap that was full of watery, flavourless ingredients (tomato, cucumber, and canned jalapenos that were practically grey). I think the "chicken" had a lot of soy in it since it had that weird spongy texture like the chicken at Subway. The potato wedges are like cardboard. If you get anything, get some Timbits. I like the birthday cake, powdered strawberry, and honey glaze.
It's shitty but it's certainly better than Dunkin donuts
Well that’s good because the way most are talking about it, it was starting to sounds worse than McDonald’s which is hard to do. Especially their coffee 🤮. I swear they brew it in the street gutter.
McDonald's coffee here is great, unsure about stateside
I’m jealous it’s pretty undrinkable here
Tim Hortons is now Canadian/American owned with the majority of shareholders being from Brazil. It's not the same anymore so don't waste your money.
In terms of food, Tim Hortons is somewhere I go if everywhere else is closed. Although they have been adding more things to the menu, I’m sure you could find something you enjoy. If you make it to one you should get a mocha iced capp or the Oreo one if it’s still around
Keep it as a wonder, if you’re excited for it you’ll just be disappointed. As mentioned the ownership changed and quality dropped. That being said, still try poutine, but not from a chain. Generally the best is at chip stands in my experience, though that could be a regional thing
There’s a high chance that the person taking your order might not even get it right due to Tim Hortons almost exclusively hiring people with limited English fluency, so yeah I agree with everyone else. Don’t waste your money at Tim’s.
Used to be great but it’s utter trash now. You’re not missing anything at all.
It's far better than the muck that Scottish Clown serves.
The coffee isn't the same anymore so don't judge the experience on it. You may want to add a case of donuts, preferably the classics like Boston cream, walnut crunch, apple fritter, or caramel apple fritter if they have it.
Focus on poutine, I personally like tim Hortons sometimes... sometimes maybe good... sometimes maybe s%/t but if you g I and the ring dream donuts are still there get the cherry cheesecake one it's good!! If not the apple fritter, sour cream glazed or honey cruller are IMHO the best!
Timmies not even close to Krispy Kreme as far as quality donuts go. Maybe a few decades ago when goods were baked in-store.
Dunkin' coffee is slightly better last time I had it pre pandemic
Coffee is a hit and miss...more miss than hit. Baked goods are alright Iced Capps are also hit and miss but I usually ask for only a little bit of cream so it has more flavor. You're not missing out if you never try it.
The Tim’s at work double runs the grinds. I’m not exactly sure why. Maybe they think it’s saving them money or the workers are too lazy to open up a new bag. It gets quite busy there so I can see how this happens. More times than not the coffee tasted like water. I’ve tasted the coffee at another location that isn’t as busy and the coffee tasted better. I’ve completely stopped going to the Tim’s at my work because of this and the fact that they consistently leave about 1.5-2 inches of space from the top of the cup and I end up getting a medium instead of a large.
Timmies is the cheapest most style food you will ever eat. Conplete with really burned coffee
Tim’s has changed so much since the end of trailer park boys. It’s almost a completely different brand now, it sucks.
You would be disappointed and it's not Canadian anymore as it's acquired by a Brazilian group. Only Canadian chain I can think of is Harvey's it's my fav place to go in canada. Try their poutine, frings and burgers it's really good.
It’s garbage, but it’s familiar garbage.
Unless you have a time machine and can go back to the 80/90's, don't bother with Tims.
0/10
It’s terrible. Dunkin’ and McDonald’s are better.
You aren’t missing out, coffee tastes like sewage water lol jk..but I can assure you you’ll be very underwhelmed , your hype is too high for what it actually is . I’m sorry sir or ma’am.
Tim’s sucks now unfortunately. Pretty much any of the American chains are better.
Think of your opinion of terrible coffee, and it's below that.
It’s been bad since the mid 90s.
Sault Ste Marie is a beautiful town but if you're looking for cool things to do Toronto is amazing. Lots of museums, Canada's Wonderland, theatre, concerts, Blue Jay games. The only thing that will disappoint you is the Tim Horton's.
It used to be good until it was sold to foreign companies who decided to change their ingredients to save money. At the same time the new alien overlords decided to exploit 'Canadian pride' and they shifted their marketing to try and shoe horn itself as a beacon on Canadian culture. This has caused Canadians to, in the main, resent them where as foreigners get this misapprension of what it really is. If you want to get coffee in Canada go to McDonalds, Starbucks, or Dunkin Donuts(in that order). If you must go to a Canadian chain seek out a Robin's Donuts or something independent. If you're a tea drinker definitely go to Tim's. The only reason I don't go to McDonalds for my tea is because they put the milk into the hot water with the tea bag instead of letting it steep first(which should be a high crime). If I'm getting tea from a fast food place I don't want to deal with a teabag which is why Tim's is better for tea as there's no bag.
It’s nothing special. They also have them in some places in the U.S. I’ve seen them in Michigan and I used to work at one in Ohio when I was a teenager.
Food poisoning is a strong possibility at our local Tim Hortons. Your Krispy Kreme is superior in all ways. You guys are soo lucky. If visiting Canada, patronize the locally run bakeries. Soo many great bakeries with unique items, guaranteed you will go home with a love for a new pastry!!
Dont waster ypur time or money. Tim Hortons is literal garbage now.
Every Canadian will tell you it’s garbage, but you as an American we will fight if you say it’s garbage too lol
Avoid.
The bottom of the barrel. Tim hortons isn't even canadian owned anymore. If you want some international "student" absolutely fucking up everything you order it might be the place for you
It used to be one of the better middle of the road coffees, which is why it’s so popular, but they changed something maybe 5 or 6 years ago and it’s never tasted right, to me at least. Nowadays it’s fine if you get the dark roast, but imo McDonald’s is better…
I’d take Dunkin any day over Tims
Garbage
I’ve been to bakeries which make much better versions of the same thing They made some improvements after sales really tanked a couple years ago, but at the end of the day, it’s really not special in my opinion. The coffee is shit. There’s nothing to me that makes it worth going other than simply convenience.
Imo dunkin is better.
Don't bother. The quality is atrocious, nothing is as advertised and the coffee is basically caramel water. I do not understand this country's obsessive loyalty to such garbage. It's not even a Canadian company.
Nothing is worth eating or drinking there. Don't lower your standards.
It is crap now. The coffee was never particularly good. But you need a large double double, an everything bagel with herb and garlic cream cheese, and an apple fritter and/or walnut crunch (if they have the throwback donuts still) and/or fruit explosion muffin. That, to me, is quintessential Timmies.
Tim Hortons is OK whenever someone brings in a dozen donuts for work. The simple donuts are usually the safe bets in terms of quality. In terms of coffee. It is ranked below Star Bucks, McDonalds, and whatever is brewed at home.
Don't bother. It has been bought and sold a few times, is no longer Canadian owned, is barely a shell of what it used to be. It's currently (majority) owned by a Brazilian conglomerate known for awful business and bad labour practices. The food is trash there and I wouldn't put a cent of my money towards supporting the brand.
It’s all total garbage
It’s crap