I've heard from Canadians for several years now about how awesome Tim Horton's is. I'm in Victoria, BC, for a couple days (and having an awesome time), and was really looking forward to my first Tim Horton's visit. I gotta say, though, it didn't quite live up to my (probably too high) expectations.
I will say the donuts were good. They make a solid, tasty doughnut. And two of the three doughnuts we got were the ones we ordered. The other one was apparently from the neighboring bin. Still tasty, but emblematic of challenges The GF and I faced while ordering.
While they got the doughnut order 66% right, coffee proved to be more of a challenge.
I know there is good coffee outside Seattle. I'm not enough of a snob to say that it doesn't exist (especially since we're only about 80 miles away). It's not like real pizza (which doesn't exist outside NYC).
And I know some people have trouble ordering at Starbucks. With all the options it can get confusing, and most people don't order something that is listed exactly on the menu. When you specify a menu item by it's exact name, though, you typically get it. And you don't confuse the cashier.
When I asked for an XL Cappuccino which is listed on the Tim Horton's menu, the cashier had no idea what I meant. She asked, "What kind?" There are no different kinds listed on the board above her head -- no "choose your option/kind." The other cashier helped her out. The craziest I got for customizing it was to ask for 5-shots. Most places that sell espresso-based beverages know that means 5-shots of espresso. Apparently here, she though that meant 5-pumps of sugar.
And that raises a few other questions. First, are more people asked for an espresso beverage with extra sugar than ask for it with extra espresso? Second, is sugar normally measured in pumps?
The GF had even more trouble. Hanging above the aisles were banners advertising a small, iced beverage of some sort. She ordered that. The cashier responded that Horton's doesn't have "small" and just offers a "medium."
Some may argue that Starbucks does the same thing by offering a "Tall" as the smallest option and how that is the same problem Horton's has.
There are two reasons why that's not true. First, the "Tall" isn't the small option at Starbucks. The "Short" is. Nearly all beverages are available as "Shorts." Second, the "Shorts" do not appear on the menu.
That's the key to the issue -- the "small" was a featured, advertised item. It appeared on the in store signage and on the menu board behind the cashier.
So she took the order for the medium iced beverage and promptly prepared the hot version.
I'm guessing (and hoping) this was the cashier's fist day at work.
I'm sure at some point I'll give Tim Horton's another try, at least for doughnuts, but I'm in no rush. It looks like there are plenty of independent coffee shops in the area where I might have better luck.
Is this typical of Tim Horton's or did I just run into one with some unusual staffing challenges?
No comments:
Post a Comment