Tim Horton’s has had a tough couple of years, what with bad press from it’s lingering standoff with angry franchisees, plummeting brand popularity, slumping sales and tanking share prices. Now, it’s trying something new to rehabilitate the brand…
One of dozens of possible combinations of entrées, sides
and drinks on the new Tim’s Kids Menu…
Tim’s is coming late to the party, launching a new Kid’s Menu in an attempt to offer something new as well as coming back to its roots. At least a little.
If you’re old enough, you’ll remember the early days of Tim’s, when the late NHL hockey star himself was still involved, and one of the chain’s proudest accomplishments was its funding of a summer camp for kids. It was a real family place, back then.
The Kids’ Menu…
The new Kid’s Menu is centred on what the company calls Timmies Mini Packs – which immediately bring to mind McDonald’s Happy Meals. Parents can construct ‘custom’ Mini Packs by choosing from one of three ‘entrées, one of four sides and one of five drinks. Visit the Mini Packs web page to access an interactive selector app which not only shows you what the various choices are, but gives you a readout of nutritional information at the end.
The marketing strategy…
It’s no secret that Tim’s is going after McDonald’s for the Kids’ business, which has pretty much been McD’s preserve ’til now.
It’s also a logical extension of the plan (?) launched when Tim’s instituted all-day breakfast a while back. Again, Tim’s was late to the game with that ‘innovation’, too. But it’s stayed afloat, partly as a result of this move.
Tim’s President, Alex Macedo, said it’s part of a move to refocus on kids and hockey: “We’re trying to go back to our roots and be the brand that everyone feels really good about in Canada. When we drop the ball, people feel it.”
Mending fences with the franchisees…
Macedo also reports that the plan to go across the country and meet with franchisees, listening to their complaints and ideas has gone well and predicts that store operators will end the year more profitably than last.
“We acknowledge that we had our shortcomings in communication with our franchisees and some of the activations that we did,” Macedo concedes.
The Great White North Franchisees Association, representing a large group of Tim’s franchise holders, has made no comment (yet) on the new Menu initiative or Macedo’s statements.
My take…
I can see Tim’s executives casting about their glass-walled Oakville, Ontario, office trying to come up with something new and positive to do, to counter the recent bad publicity and sagging brand popularity. And I think they may finally have done something right in trying to get back to their roots. It also helps that Horton’s recently replaced their notoriously leaky Coffee cup lids with safer ones, and Macedo hints that the chain is looking at ‘innovating’ its coffee. Elevating the regular blend might just be the broad stroke Tim’s needs to take to bring former fans back into the fold.
~ Maggie J.