The seemingly terminal decline of Tim Hortons

[Admiral Beez]

Pretty sure every Tims I've been to in the last month - I drive a lot for work - has had a "Now Hiring" sign.

Tims in the GTA seem to hire nearly exclusively South Asian women. Perhaps this demographic has given up on Timmes.

 

[Richard White]

Tims in the GTA seem to hire nearly exclusively South Asian women. Perhaps this demographic has given up on Timmes.

I went to one at Kingston Road and Midland (Cliffside) last night. Not a South Asian in site.

 

[TheKingEast]

Tims in the GTA seem to hire nearly exclusively South Asian women. Perhaps this demographic has given up on Timmes.

Is this a joke or are you actually serious?

 

[Admiral Beez]

Is this a joke or are you actually serious?

My original group was too narrow, but go to any Tims in the GTA and the staff are almost exclusively Asian or South Asian women. The company clearly relies on new immigrants paid min wage for working in a high paced, standing all day environment. Since Tims is experiencing a labour shortage, I suggest these workers have told Tims to suck it and have resigned. Good for them, I say.

Why did you think I was joking? Is noticing and recognizing the ethnicity of a company’s employees somehow verboten to you? Your experience at Tims may be different.

 

[Richard White]

My original group was too narrow, but go to any Tims in the GTA and the staff are almost exclusively Asian or South Asian women. The company clearly relies on new immigrants paid min wage for working in a high paced, standing all day environment. Since Tims is experiencing a labour shortage, I suggest these workers have told Tims to suck it and have resigned. Good for them, I say.

I have met a few Indians and Bengali students who use Tim Horton's to get PR status.

They say they have full time work, sometimes supervisory on their applications.

That said the Admiral has a point. Unless you go to Barrie, Thunder Bay or Wawa everyone is South Asian working at Tims.

 

[lenaitch]

I have met a few Indians and Bengali students who use Tim Horton's to get PR status.

They say they have full time work, sometimes supervisory on their applications.

That said the Admiral has a point. Unless you go to Barrie, Thunder Bay or Wawa everyone is South Asian working at Tims.

Don't be so sure on your geographic boundaries.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Don't be so sure on your geographic boundaries.

I remember when I moved to Fredericton and the Tims was entirely employing young, white folks. My wife and I remarked that it was a little weird, but not sure why. But the area was very white. In 2004 my childrens’ godparents came to visit us, he’s a brown guy from Guyana and she’s a black person from Jamaica, and godmother mentioned at the company BBQ that everyone was staring at her, to which we joked, you’re probably the first black person they’ve ever socialized with, and perhaps ever seen.

 

[ShonTron]

Don't be so sure on your geographic boundaries.

Indeed. You might be surprised on your first visit to a place like White River or Marathon. Many rural motels and franchised restaurants are owned and operated by South Asian families.

 

[yrt+viva=1system]

Not related to the current discussion about employees and their cultural backgrounds. But chiming in here about the coffee and timbits.

It’s been years since I bought timbits, yet here I am with a 20 pack to share with coworkers. First off, they are not edible at all. For something that is supposedly fresh for today it’s already stale. I should’ve just gotten myself a croissant from Longos to go with my coffee.

Second, I can now see why younger people generally stick with Starbucks or other smaller coffee chains. The coffee from Tim Hortons is undrinkable if one is attuned with stronger coffee/grew up with Starbucks. The coffee from Tim’s is most likely cheap beans that aren’t properly roasted or it’s been blended with coffee bean alternatives (grains). I’m saying this as the “dirt water” has the smell of coffee but completely lacks the taste of coffee. It’s something that I notice every time I have a Tim Hortons coffee. Perhaps my taste buds are gone or I’m just more attuned to other coffees now. The reason I bring up coffee bean alternatives is the fact that even the worst pre-ground floor swept Moka coffee (eg. Lavazza Rossa) doesn’t even come close to how bad Tim Horton’s is. Disregarding using a Mokapot, even using a filter with Mokapot grade vacuumed pack coffee can produce some drinkable coffee and with flavour.

This is just my unprofessional tasting. So it’s a no for me and Tim Hortons I’ll just stick with my supermarket bought Portuguese Delta coffee beans and manual hand grinder.

 

[Richard White]

Not related to the current discussion about employees and their cultural backgrounds. But chiming in here about the coffee and timbits.

It’s been years since I bought timbits, yet here I am with a 20 pack to share with coworkers. First off, they are not edible at all. For something that is supposedly fresh for today it’s already stale. I should’ve just gotten myself a croissant from Longos to go with my coffee.

Second, I can now see why younger people generally stick with Starbucks or other smaller coffee chains. The coffee from Tim Hortons is undrinkable if one is attuned with stronger coffee/grew up with Starbucks. The coffee from Tim’s is most likely cheap beans that aren’t properly roasted or it’s been blended with coffee bean alternatives (grains). I’m saying this as the “dirt water” has the smell of coffee but completely lacks the taste of coffee. It’s something that I notice every time I have a Tim Hortons coffee. Perhaps my taste buds are gone or I’m just more attuned to other coffees now. The reason I bring up coffee bean alternatives is the fact that even the worst pre-ground floor swept Moka coffee (eg. Lavazza Rossa) doesn’t even come close to how bad Tim Horton’s is. Disregarding using a Mokapot, even using a filter with Mokapot grade vacuumed pack coffee can produce some drinkable coffee and with flavour.

This is just my unprofessional tasting. So it’s a no for me and Tim Hortons I’ll just stick with my supermarket bought Portuguese Delta coffee beans and manual hand grinder.

Back when I actually ingested caffeine, I wouldn't drink Tims to save my life.

Starbucks among others actually have better coffee. Tims is commercialised the point where they put costs above quality.

On a side note, I haven't had coffee since early May. No caffeine since July (FYI Starbucks Refreshers have a shit ton of caffeine). Best thing I ever did.

 

[gabe]

Back in the day restaurants in the GTA were predominantly owned by Greeks/Italians, then around the 90s the south Asians from India/Pakistan/ Sri Lanka started taking over.

My boyfriends family immigrated from India in the early 80s. They owned all kinds of restaurants from Subways to Swiss Chalet's, to New York Fries over the years. Like the Greeks/Italians. They have large families and all the family members work in the restaurants. Now it seems to be a shift. The Immigrants that came here in the 80s and 90s, have kids and the kids are Canadian born and what no part of the restaurant business.

Not related to the current discussion about employees and their cultural backgrounds. But chiming in here about the coffee and timbits.

It’s been years since I bought timbits, yet here I am with a 20 pack to share with coworkers. First off, they are not edible at all. For something that is supposedly fresh for today it’s already stale. I should’ve just gotten myself a croissant from Longos to go with my coffee.

Second, I can now see why younger people generally stick with Starbucks or other smaller coffee chains. The coffee from Tim Hortons is undrinkable if one is attuned with stronger coffee/grew up with Starbucks. The coffee from Tim’s is most likely cheap beans that aren’t properly roasted or it’s been blended with coffee bean alternatives (grains). I’m saying this as the “dirt water” has the smell of coffee but completely lacks the taste of coffee. It’s something that I notice every time I have a Tim Hortons coffee. Perhaps my taste buds are gone or I’m just more attuned to other coffees now. The reason I bring up coffee bean alternatives is the fact that even the worst pre-ground floor swept Moka coffee (eg. Lavazza Rossa) doesn’t even come close to how bad Tim Horton’s is. Disregarding using a Mokapot, even using a filter with Mokapot grade vacuumed pack coffee can produce some drinkable coffee and with flavour.

This is just my unprofessional tasting. So it’s a no for me and Tim Hortons I’ll just stick with my supermarket bought Portuguese Delta coffee beans and manual hand grinder.

I had the unfortunate experience of eating a Tim's cinnamon bun recently. Tim's is one of the few places open at 6 am. I walk in, the place is empty, staff behind the counter ignore me for at lest five minutes, before taking my order.

The bun was so bloody dry. I took about two bites, i had to throw it out . So later on that morning i go to a Starbucks, as soon as i walk in the door, I'm greeted by the friendly barista at the cash, and my order was taken right away. What a breath of fresh air!

 

[christiesplits]

My job involves a lot of driving through Southwestern Ontario. As a result, Tim Hortons is often the only option for a washroom visit and quick caffeine boost.

Fortunately, a lot of independent or smaller chain coffee shops are popping up on the main streets of small towns.

Coffee Culture, a small chain, is a mainstay in a lot of SW Ontario. There’s a smattering of small, independent spots too. Just last week I had a nice Americano and muffin at Local Renaissance, a small coffee shop in Elmira.

 

[lenaitch]

My job involves a lot of driving through Southwestern Ontario. As a result, Tim Hortons is often the only option for a washroom visit and quick caffeine boost.

Fortunately, a lot of independent or smaller chain coffee shops are popping up on the main streets of small towns.

Coffee Culture, a small chain, is a mainstay in a lot of SW Ontario. There’s a smattering of small, independent spots too. Just last week I had a nice Americano and muffin at Local Renaissance, a small coffee shop in Elmira.

And that's a positive alternative trend to see for smaller communities. In the beginning, what Tim's (and MacDonald's) had going for it was consistency of brand, product and, to a degree, hours. A traveller going into a mom-and-pop, particularly in the off-season and off the beaten path, might end up with coffee that had been on for a couple of hours and baked goods that were left over from the morning rush in a general restaurant. If a local market can support small independent 'coffee culture' businesses, that can only be a good thing. It will be a slow turn around though, even in small towns, the habit has become ingrained.

There is a small North Bay-based chain called Twiggs that has a few stores (NB-2, Sturgeon Falls and Sudbury) including one in Parry Sound that I stop into instead of Tim's if I'm taking that route.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Back in the day restaurants in the GTA were predominantly owned by Greeks/Italians, then around the 90s the south Asians from India/Pakistan/ Sri Lanka started taking over.

My boyfriends family immigrated from India in the early 80s. They owned all kinds of restaurants from Subways to Swiss Chalet's, to New York Fries over the years. Like the Greeks/Italians. They have large families and all the family members work in the restaurants. Now it seems to be a shift. The Immigrants that came here in the 80s and 90s, have kids and the kids are Canadian born and what no part of the restaurant business.





I had the unfortunate experience of eating a Tim's cinnamon bun recently. Tim's is one of the few places open at 6 am. I walk in, the place is empty, staff behind the counter ignore me for at lest five minutes, before taking my order.

The bun was so bloody dry. I took about two bites, i had to throw it out . So later on that morning i go to a Starbucks, as soon as i walk in the door, I'm greeted by the friendly barista at the cash, and my order was taken right away. What a breath of fresh air!

One thing I’ve perceived is that yesterday’s immigrants are exploiting today‘s. Look at places like FGF Brands and Fiera Foods, started by immigrants in the 1960s and 70s, and now utilizing temp agencies and min wage immigrant labour. But that’s enough from this immigrant on this topic, back to coffee and baked goods at Tim’s.

Much like how I feel bad for those who didn’t live before McDs removed tallow from their friends, Timbits in the 80s were good, very good, baked in house, offering a large variety, including jam filled powder coated and my favourite the Dutchie.

 

[Admiral Beez]

No caffeine since July (FYI Starbucks Refreshers have a shit ton of caffeine). Best thing I ever did.

No chocolate, no tea? No Tiramisu? For my coffee I’ve switched to half decaf so moving slowly away from it.