FOOD NEWS
Tim Hortons Facts You Should Know Before You Visit
BY Mona Bassil
Rumors About The Coffee
Some people have blamed the wild popularity of coffee in North America on Tim Hortons, claiming its coffee contains nicotine and MSG, which fuel “addiction.”
However, this conspiracy is completely unfounded, largely due to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which would never allow nicotine to be ingested in that deceptive manner.
To quell the rumor, Tim Hortons has dismissed the issue on its website, saying, "This urban myth is just that ... a myth! ... There is absolutely NO nicotine or MSG in our coffee."
Donuts In The Original Logo
The top oval in Tim Hortons' original logo, used from 1964 to 1985, was white and featured "Tim Horton" in red above an image of four donuts.
Those four donuts in the original logo symbolized people very dear to founder Tim Horton: his daughters from his wife, Lori Michalek, named Kim, Jeri-Lyn, Tracy, and Kelly.
No Apostrophe In The Name
The chain's name isn't "Tim Horton's" due to the Charter of the French Language law issued in the French-speaking province of Quebec in 1977.
The law dictates that French should be the exclusive language of businesses across the entire area, be they for profit or not. Those who don't comply risk paying heavy fines.
To avoid being penalized or dealing with two different logos in the same country, the brand has chosen to go without the apostrophe, simply adding an "s" at the end of its name.
Beans
The chain uses premium beans from small farmers in countries known for the crop, ensuring they are "grown in different micro climates with rich soil and higher altitudes."
The beans are then blended and roasted by master specialists, before going through the ultimate tasting phase. Over 75,000 cups are taste-tested every year to maintain quality.
From Menu To Dictionary
One of the most ordered Tim Hortons items, the Double-Double comprises a hot original brewed coffee blended with two packs of sugar and two shots of cream.
In 2004, it somehow made its way to the Canadian Oxford Dictionary, with the entry reading: “Double-double: noun. A cup of coffee with a double amount of both cream and sugar.”