Dunkin’ Donuts – which left Canada in 2018 with its tail between its legs – is planning a Big Comeback starting later this year. Fans say competitor Tim Horton’s has hit the skids. The question is… Can Dunkin’ give Tim Horton’s a run for its money this time?
The situation, back in 2018, was characterized by observers as a ‘Battle Royale’ title fight between Horton’s and Dunkin’. And Tim’s won. No surprise that Tim’s has been riding high since on its Can-adian heritage, in a market with no head-to-head competition. Tim’s has always managed to dif-ferentiate itself from the other coffee shops and Fast Food chains.
Winds of change…
Winds of change have started to blow in the Canadian Fast Food sector. And they smell like fresh-brewed coffee. The main reason is a growing discontent among formerly faithful Tim Horton’s fans. The social media have been gusty with complaints about Tim’s coffee, food quality, and ‘fading’ Canadian identity.
Narcity contributor Lauren DiBenedetto ranked Tim’s 4th out of 5 in a survey of Canadian Fast Food Coffees. “While I applaud the way they’ve stepped up their game, the truth I wish I could conceal from you all is that their coffee just isn’t that good,” she summed up. And gave the coffee legend a mere 2.5/5 overall rating.
‘X’ denizens were even less charitable when the issue of Tim’s overall appeal recently arose…
“Real Canadians know how horrible and disgusting Tim Hortons is,” one X user commented.
“Tim Horton’s quality has dropped so much lately that Dunkin’ doesn’t even have to be good to win they just have to be consistent,” another opined.
“Tim Hortons died in 2004 when they merged with Burger King. It was then that they also stopped baking fresh daily and switched to the current par-baked trash,” a slightly more-thoughtful com-menter offered.
My take
I felt the most cogent social media comment came from a slightly more vitriolic, though more-thoughtful commenter: “Tim Horton’s quality has turned to dog s**t. They need competition.”
And therein, I commented, lies Tim’s road to salvation. They have to get up off their complacent collective butt and meet the Dunkin’ Challenge with real, substantial improvements in their whole business plan. For example, former fans are still complaining about Tim’s ending their longtime practice of making their doughnuts fresh every day. They now come frozen, from central factories.
Coffee the central issue…
And as DiBenedetto remarked, their traditional, one cherished coffee has fallen behind other Fast Food Players’ which upgraded their Java offerings in the 20-teens in the face of competition from outlets such as Second Cup and Starbuck’s…
I’m excited to see how who’s still standing at the conclusion of the coming ‘rematch’ between Horton’s and Dunkin’…
My questions to you:
Do you agree with the social media hotheads, that Tim’s needs to up its game?
Do you agree with me, that competition from Dunkin’ may be just what it takes to get Tim’s to pull up it’s socks?
Dunkin’ lost to Tim’s last time largely because it failed to read the Canadian market properly…
Do you agree with me that Dunkin’ will have to come into Canada with changes in their approach, to appeal to Canadian coffee fans?
Who do YOU think will win the coming Tim’s vs Dunkin’ showdown?
Muse on that!
Maggie J.