Remember when there were almost as many Dunkin Donuts shops as Tim’s stores in most Canadian cities? Remember when they all disappeared, after Dunkin’s admitted it couldn’t compete with Tim’s on Tim’s home turf? Did you know Dunkin’s still had unfinished business in Quebec?
Tim Horton’s won the early-millennium slap-down with Dunkin Donuts in Canada,
but Dunkin’s has only settled with abandonbed Quebec franchisees
after a 13-year court battle!
At one time, there were some 32 Dunkin’s locations in la belle province, run by 21 different franchisees. The franchise owners sued Dunkin’s for allegedly failing to keep its contractual obligation to promote and advertise the brand in Quebec even as Tim’s was breathing down the backs of their necks.
After a 13-year court battle, the Supreme Court of Canada has upheld an appeals court ruling awarding the franchisees a total of $18 million in damages from the U.S. coffee and doughnut giant.
Just goes to show that little guys can fight the big guys and win – even if it takes a crazy amount of time!
Of the 32 Dunkin’s shops once operating in Quebec, only four remain, all in the Montreal area.
~ Maggie J.