As any Canadian knows, Tim Horton's is much, much more than a coffee & donut shop. It's a national icon, part of the Canadian identity, the glue that holds this country together (or at least that's what the TV commercials imply). Tim's can always be counted on to offer its long-standing favourites in any given season and sometimes, 
try something new. This fall I was thrilled to see the addition of pumpkin spice tea to their standard autumnal offerings of pumpkin spice donuts and muffins. However, Tim's has never, to my knowledge, provided flavoured coffee. No, at Tim Horton's, there is only one flavour of coffee and that's Tim Horton's coffee. No Hazelnut Cream, no Bavarian Chocolate, no Pumpkin Spice. If flavoured coffee is what you're looking for, keep moving on down the street to Starbucks or Second Cup, because you won't find it at Tim's. In recent years, Tim Horton's - firmly established with shops in even the smallest towns (if your town doesn't have a Tim Horton's, you're likely not even on the map) - has begun its march toward world domination by opening donut shops in some northern American states. So, of course, whenever I travel in the U.S. and see that familiar sign, I feel an overwhelming surge of patriotism and immediately stop for a coffee (okay, and sometimes a donut). So, imagine my surprise when, on my recent road trip south, I stopped for coffee at a Tim Horton's in Maine, looked up at the beverage menu, and saw . . . pumpkin spice coffee!
Words cannot express the feelings of betrayal I experienced at that moment. So many years . . . believing my national coffee shop stood on a matter of principle . . . no flavoured coffee . . . for anyone . . . anywhere. Only to discover they've been selling it behind my back. And not just pumpkin spice - no, there were several flavours to choose from. Why, Tim, why? Canadians like flavour too. Disillusioned, I returned home. In time, I know I'll get over this and perhaps even walk down to my local Tim Horton's for a pumpkin spice muffin and a cup of pumpkin spice . . . tea. But our relationship may never truly recover. You've hurt me deeply, Tim.
As any Canadian knows, Tim Horton's is much, much more than a coffee & donut shop. It's a national icon, part of the Canadian identity, the glue that holds this country together (or at least that's what the TV commercials imply). Tim's can always be counted on to offer its long-standing favourites in any given season and sometimes, 
try something new. This fall I was thrilled to see the addition of pumpkin spice tea to their standard autumnal offerings of pumpkin spice donuts and muffins. However, Tim's has never, to my knowledge, provided flavoured coffee. No, at Tim Horton's, there is only one flavour of coffee and that's Tim Horton's coffee. No Hazelnut Cream, no Bavarian Chocolate, no Pumpkin Spice. If flavoured coffee is what you're looking for, keep moving on down the street to Starbucks or Second Cup, because you won't find it at Tim's. In recent years, Tim Horton's - firmly established with shops in even the smallest towns (if your town doesn't have a Tim Horton's, you're likely not even on the map) - has begun its march toward world domination by opening donut shops in some northern American states. So, of course, whenever I travel in the U.S. and see that familiar sign, I feel an overwhelming surge of patriotism and immediately stop for a coffee (okay, and sometimes a donut). So, imagine my surprise when, on my recent road trip south, I stopped for coffee at a Tim Horton's in Maine, looked up at the beverage menu, and saw . . . pumpkin spice coffee!
Words cannot express the feelings of betrayal I experienced at that moment. So many years . . . believing my national coffee shop stood on a matter of principle . . . no flavoured coffee . . . for anyone . . . anywhere. Only to discover they've been selling it behind my back. And not just pumpkin spice - no, there were several flavours to choose from. Why, Tim, why? Canadians like flavour too. Disillusioned, I returned home. In time, I know I'll get over this and perhaps even walk down to my local Tim Horton's for a pumpkin spice muffin and a cup of pumpkin spice . . . tea. But our relationship may never truly recover. You've hurt me deeply, Tim.
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