Tim Hortons, Not Quite The Dunkin' Donuts of the North
Written: Nov 15 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Excellent Breakfast Sandwich
Cons: Less than fresh tasting donuts.
The Bottom Line: The coffee doesn't compare to Starbucks or even Dunkin Donuts.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: Tim Hortons |
If you travel south of New York you will find Dunkin' Donut's and Krispy Kreme. As you travel north you'll bump into more Dunkin' Donuts but only a couple-a-few Krispy Kremes. What you will start to find is a Canadian chain that sell donuts. This 24 hours fast-food like restaurant is Tim Hortons.
I've been to them a couple of times when business took me to Buffalo New York. Much more recently I found out they have one in the town just a mile or so from my daughter's new school in North Wyndham, Maine.
Tim Hortons has been around since 1964 and its main stay is donuts and coffee with bagels, muffins and lunch sandwiches also available. Walking into one is an extremely agreeable aromatic experience. There is a fragrance of freshly baked goods that collides with wafts of fresh brewed coffee that is heavenly. I just wish the coffee tasted as good as it smells. It doesn't.
I have had their coffee a few times including another try earlier today November 15th, 2005. It still has a bitter taste. I happen to like Starbucks and Dunkin' Donut's coffee too. Tim's blend really doesn't make it for my taste.
The places I have been in have a few tables in the front area. One goes up to the counter to order the product. There is no wait service. Those behind the counter wear uniforms and are very neat looking. It's run like a fast food joint but with a more open kitchen area than you might find at other fast-food eateries. The wait staff is friendly enough and they keep the place very clean. I also checked out the rest room, the men's, and it too was spotless and well stocked.
Tim Hortons has "Always Fresh" on much of the paper goods that come with the products. I don't happen to find the donuts fresh. Maybe they just make them dry and kind of hard, stale feeling but not stale. I once again tried their donuts, for purpose of reviewing only. Someone has to do the dirty work. The Boston Creme had an excellent chocolate topping but the creme inside was awful. I also tried a Double chocolate donut. This was a chocolate with chocolate sauce or something on it. I expected the same as was on the Boston Creme donut. It wasn't. This one was terrible. The donut was quite hard too.
I did order a breakfast sandwich from them. The eggs were plentiful on it. About 3/4" thick with a thin slice of sausage that had good flavour but wasn't overly fatty. In fact it was as lean a piece of pork patty as I have ever had. It was a good value at $2 and change. This was a special and worth the price.
Summing it all up I find that Tim Horton's are nicely designed and well maintained restaurants. Many are open 24 hours and have donuts, bagels, sandwiches and coffee with a few other liquid specials like their new "Hot Smoothies" that have flavoured shots of Butter Caramel, Raspberry, Hazelnut, and Orange.
I've never tried their lunch sandwiches or soups or chili. Maybe another time, but it will only happen if nothing else is around.
The staff is friendly and prompt. The hot orders come out quickly. I also liked that when the place isn't busy the staff helps each other. One got my donuts, another cooked my order and a third poured my coffee and finished the business transaction. In seconds my order was ready!
The donuts are not as good as other places and seem to be around a bit longer than "Freshly Made". I just don't like their coffee at all but the breakfast sandwich was excellent! I have mixed thoughts of this place but being the only thing that satisfied my stomach was the "Special" breakfast sandwich, I have to go with three stars.
Even if it doesn't count, this is a second entry in Sleeper's Lean-n-mean IV W/O for the Restaurant Category.
Dunkin' Donuts / Waffle House / Krispy Kreme / Friendly's / Cracker Barrel / IHOP, International House Of Pancakes
Recommended:
Yes
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