I’ve
been thinking for a while about our area’s obsession with Tim Hortons. Can readers help me make sense of
this? What’s so good about Tim
Hortons that makes people willing to wait in long drive thru lines? Don’t misread me: I’m not bashing “Timmy
Ho’s” and I’m not saying I don’t buy anything there occasionally. I think the coffee is decent and the
food isn’t terrible. But to my
taste buds there’s nothing on the menu worth waiting any significant time to
obtain (obviously taste is subjective).
I
have to wonder if convenience is the main reason that so many people patronize Tim
Hortons. Is their coffee just a
part of people’s routines? I guess
habit can’t be the only reason or else we’d see longer lines at Dunkin
Donuts. I haven’t conducted a
scientific study, but my eyes tell me that Dunkin Donuts is not nearly as
popular as Tim Hortons. So what’s
the reason for the Tim Hortons obsession?
We
know that Tops has added Tim Hortons kiosks to their stores, so now we can shop
while caffeinated. The other day I
noticed that coffee holders were affixed to some of the carts at the Tops on
Elmwood Avenue. Is Tim Hortons
really so good that we need to drink it while buying groceries? Or does it exemplify the power of
habitual behavior? I’m a coffee
addict, so it’s not dependence on coffee that confuses me; I just don’t
understand the fascination with Tim Hortons.
Another
question: does anyone make their own coffee anymore? Obviously we can save a lot of money by making our own
coffee. But savings aside, I don’t
think Tim Hortons coffee is any better than what we can make at home. I prefer Eight O’Clock coffee (a twelve
ounce package costs approximately five dollars and lasts me at least a week)
and I’m convinced it’s better than Tim Hortons. Of course, there’s no rule against buying a package of Tim
Hortons coffee and making it at home, but I guess if that were common practice
there wouldn’t be long drive thru lines and kiosks at supermarkets.
Please
don’t label me a Tim Hortons hater.
I don’t have a personal ban against the establishment, and I spend money
there once in a while. I simply don’t
understand the Tim Hortons thing.
Can anyone explain it to me?
And if you do brew at home, what kind of coffee do you prefer?