Tim Horton's in Times Square

[gregv]

Why can't it be trusted? Its franchise agreement with Dunkin Donuts presumably expired and it's hardly untrustworthy to make a business decision not to renew it. Did I miss something?

I think there were some comments in the NY Times blog that put a different spin on the Dunkin/Riese relationship.

The NY Post always makes me laugh:

DOUGHNUT WARS!
HORTONS HORNS IN ON NYC DUNKIN'S

"Tim Hortons, the doughnut chain so popular in Canada that some hold it partly responsible for overburdening the nation's socialized medical system, is opening its first outposts in the city Monday. "

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07102009/news/regionalnews/doughnut_wars__178556.htm

 

[Long Island Mike]

Dunkin' Donuts becoming Tim Horton's...

Everyone: I saw a news report yesterday 7/10 mentioning that around a dozen(no pun intended)Dunkin' Donuts outlets around NYC are becoming outlets of Canada's Tim Horton's.

The reasons given were problems with the DD outlets being converted like cleanliness-NYC is very strict in enforcement of that type of regulation and that DD was basically a "breakfast-centered" operation. The new Tim Horton's would give the outlets better lunch-oriented options.

Hopefully Tim Horton's will have a better time attracting customers then Krispy Kreme had around NYC-as a southern US company coming N they had a decent run but later they faded away because they could not compete with the likes of chains like Dunkin' Donuts.

LI MIKE

 

[adma]

Maybe the "Canadianness" is, indeed, a key to banking on Tim Horton's, i.e. less of a degraded-white-trash-Americana image than Dunkin'.

Speaking of "banking", maybe it's a little like how in the present crisis, the Canadian banking system is viewed positively...

 

[Observer Walt]

Hopefully Tim Horton's will have a better time attracting customers then Krispy Kreme had around NYC-as a southern US company coming N they had a decent run but later they faded away because they could not compete with the likes of chains like Dunkin' Donuts.

LI MIKE

It's not just in NYC that Krispy Kreme has faded away. They came into Ontario with a big splash several years ago. Photos in the newspapers showed long lineups. But they basically serve little except doughnuts (unhealty fried ones, at that), and coffee. That's not enough. Most of the KK outlets in Canada have folded. There is still one on Mavis Road in Mississauga, not far from me, but I could not tell you where any others are.

 

[Dan416]

It's not just in NYC that Krispy Kreme has faded away. They came into Ontario with a big splash several years ago. Photos in the newspapers showed long lineups. But they basically serve little except doughnuts (unhealty fried ones, at that), and coffee. That's not enough. Most of the KK outlets in Canada have folded. There is still one on Mavis Road in Mississauga, not far from me, but I could not tell you where any others are.

I don't know if there even ARE any others left. Our Krispy Kreme was the first to open, IIRC, and the last one standing, certainly in the GTA. I remember when there were were like two Krispy Kreme's in the PATH (IIRC) and then they both closed down.

 

[Cast_Member]

Lets hope Tim's will not over expand.

 

[ShonTron]

I don't know if there even ARE any others left. Our Krispy Kreme was the first to open, IIRC, and the last one standing, certainly in the GTA. I remember when there were were like two Krispy Kreme's in the PATH (IIRC) and then they both closed down.

The others were indeed in the PATH (in Royal Bank Plaza and a kiosk in Richmond-Adelaide, IIRC), the others were the Downsview power centre (now a diamond store), Hillcrest Mall (now a Panara Bread) and Scarborough Town Centre.

KK was a fad that overextended itself. Remember how KK was supposedly going to spark a donut war here with Tim Horton's? Pfft.

 

[adma]

I think the KK you attribute to RBP might actually have been in BCE IIRC. (Sorry about the acronym onslaught.)

 

[PukeGreen]

I think Tim Hortons will do well in NYC. The coffee is not "gourmet" but it is reasonably tasty and consistent. As is the food. The service is fast, which suits the office rush, and the price point is well below that of Starbucks.

In my opinion when Krispy Kreme expanded to Canada they fell victim to a major fallacy. That fallacy was that Canadians love "donut shops" and "donuts". Which seems to be true on the surface, when you look at the popularity of Tim's, and even Coffee Time and Country Style. What they didn't seem to realize is that the main draw to these places is the coffee... donuts are only secondary. Look in a typical non-lunch-hour Tim's lineup and you will likely see 7 or 8 customers buying just coffee for every 1 that buys donuts, and even the donut buyers came for the coffee first. Krispy Kreme's coffee was mediocre, and the donuts-- while quite delicious--were way too heavy and unhealthy for anyone but the most reckless to eat regularly.

 

[Jonny5]

Tim Hortons' Timbits Are Here


See other coverage in pretty much any New York publication or blog or TV show or anything! They even made the Today show!

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

They definitely did a good job with the PR on their launch and more power to them.

That said, I find the coffee thoroughly mediocre and will be surprised if it really sells without their faux-Canadiana marketing (eg Dad sipping a cup while watching little Billy at hockey practice...) to sustain it...

 

[bleeepbluuup]

That said, I find the coffee thoroughly mediocre and will be surprised if it really sells without their faux-Canadiana marketing (eg Dad sipping a cup while watching little Billy at hockey practice...) to sustain it...

It's not the greatest coffee, but it's certainly crack-tastic. Their lunch menu is decent and cheap. I don't think there'll be much of a problem.

 

[afransen]

There is a lot of dreadful coffee out there at that price point, so they may do well. I think they may need to have periodic 'free coffee' coupons to get people to try it, though.

 

[adma]

How much of a factor *is* "fast food coffee" (i.e. beneath Starbucks level) in the States?

 

[Dane]

So, as a Torontonian Living in New York City, I was so excited this morning to go into Tim Hortons and bring Timbits into work to share with my coworkers (they all liked them and agreed they were superior to Dunkin' Doughnuts)

Also I went to the one on 33rd/6th (near Penn station) and they were giving out free coffee coupons, and there were huge lines. I think the locations they have chosen are very convenient for everyone working in midtown picking up their morning coffees.

I got my usual Bagel with Cream Cheese, and Hot chocolate. both are wonderful, AND cheap.. way better than Starbucks any day! (In My Opinion)