Tim Hortons — Restaurant in Burlington

I've been a Tim Hortons customer for the past 21 years; this particular location is consistently by far the worst Tim Hortons that I have visited. When visiting this location for late morning and early afternoon coffee runs, when the drive-thru has maybe one other car at the window they keep you at the order box for upwards of 2 minutes without any communication. Once they do say something it is just, “we will be with you shortly.” This simply results in me the customer going to another location. As an individual who both worked for two Tim Hortons locations (both with drive-thru's) in my youth, I understand that the staff is generally coached not to take on too many customers in the drive-thru as these service times are recorded and utilized as a metric with other locations. However the purpose of implementing this metric was that Tim Hortons own studies have shown that customer wait times that exceed 25 seconds typically result in lost customers, this location is consistently 120+ seconds at the box (again I am not including any time spent during morning rushes or any visits in general where there is more than 2 other vehicles, one at the window and one at the second order box as there are two). This is just time spent sitting at the box waiting for the team to serve one to two cars at a time. The metric was designed to establish when you need to implement new strategies to reduce service times with the goal of improving the overall customer experience, thus increasing your customer base. Choosing to manipulate the data you are receiving is just you lying to yourself and to your corporate office on what your actual performance is resulting in the metric being utterly useless. I run a business, also under a franchise system and while I don’t necessarily face the same challenges that the food service industry faces I can appreciate that you can only push near minimum wage workers so hard while still being able to maintain a work force, I understand that you can only have so many staff during certain times as revenue is not keeping up with rising operating costs and I understand that Employees, Customers and even Franchisor’s are expecting more in today’s society resulting in a very frustrating management situation as you can only stretch a dollar so far and something eventually has to give… What I do not understand is if you’re simply going to manipulate a system to provide a false image that is not even released to the general public, how are you going to understand trends for how one team composition verse another impacts service or what teams and times require the most coaching… Yes you get numbers on this but those numbers are lies because of the way you choose to coach resulting in a system that is about appeasing the Franchisor, not improving the overall customer experience. Finally, yes I also understand that basically every other franchise (with a drive-thru) is doing this to some level, however some do it more than others, this location is simply taking it to a whole new level and doing so consistently enough that I not only wrote this novel of a review but sat on the phone with customer care (very nice gentleman I spoke with at customer care) after driving away 10:45am on Wed Feb 12th 2020 and now 1:25pm Fri...

Tim Hortons is a staple for many Canadians, and while recent experiences across various locations have left something to be desired, the Tim Hortons by Costco in Swiss Chalet on Brant Street in Burlington refreshingly bucks the trend. Let me walk you through my latest visit to this particular outlet which proved to be both satisfying yet imperfect in the wee hours of the night.

Positives: The customer service at this Tim Hortons stood out immediately. Contrary to the dispassionate service one might have come to expect from various Tim Hortons lately, the young Indian gentleman who served me was a breath of fresh air. His politeness and diligent use of customary manners were not only impressive but deeply appreciated. He was attentive, engaging, and made sure that my order was taken with a smile—qualities that are increasingly rare and thus all the more valuable. It’s these small human interactions that elevate a mundane coffee run into a genuinely pleasant experience.

Atmosphere: Located conveniently by Costco on Brant Street, this Tim Hortons is an ideal spot for anyone looking to grab a quick beverage and unwind in the parking lot for a few moments in the evening. The ambiance of the area, combined with the easy access to nearby shopping, makes it a prime location for a brief respite from the day’s errands.

Challenges: However, the visit wasn’t without its drawbacks. Firstly, the absence of a garbage can at the drive-through was a minor but notable inconvenience, disrupting the otherwise smooth flow of discarding waste post-visit. Furthermore, the digital menu sign was excessively bright, to the point of discomfort, which made placing an order more challenging than necessary.

Service Speed and Availability: The most significant issue was the service speed. It took about 15 minutes to receive a simple order of tea and a couple of donuts—an unusually long wait, especially late at night. Additionally, the selection was disappointingly limited; they were out of cookies and nearly all donut varieties, with only a few flavors available. Though it was 11 PM, and perhaps understaffing contributed to these issues, it was a letdown for anyone hoping for their usual favorites.

Conclusion: Despite these hiccups, the overall experience was positive. Friendly and courteous staff make a world of difference, and I greatly prefer a longer wait time coupled with kind service over the brisk but cold interactions that have become all too common at other Tim Hortons locations. It’s reassuring to know that some branches still strive to maintain the high standard of customer care that Tim Hortons was once known for.

This particular visit to Tim Hortons by Costco in Swiss Chalet on Brant Street highlighted that while there are areas for improvement, the core elements of what make Tim Hortons a beloved spot for many—warm service and a welcoming atmosphere—still shine through. Here’s hoping they address the small yet impactful issues, because with staff as friendly as this, it’s a place I’d return to, even just for the pleasure of being treated with...

Went in to order a new flat bread. I was the only one in there but drive thru had about 5 or 6 cars. There was 1 kiosk open and that guy was doing inventory of the drinks. He did not stop and was not really aware of me. 3 or 4 minutes maybe. A woman walked in and stepped to the other kiosk and he turned around and asked to help. I interjected and explained I had been there first. He took me, then he told me how much it was and didn't press the button on the register to prompt my interact and walked away to the drive thru...I called him back and he said "just tap it." I told him I couldn't. He then pressed the button. I had ordered 2 flat breads..I went to wait. The guy was very frazzled..huffing puffing under his breath. The store inside was not busy (430, Sunday) but to be fair there was a line up in the drive thru and he was on his own. The girl in the drive thru was yelling orders to him. While I waited, he made a flat bread and 2 or 3 sandwiches and a bagel. Finally I saw him making my 2 pepperonis..once the first one was done he gave it to me..then when the second one came out and he gave it to the drive thru. By this time it was about 15 minutes since I ordered. I asked and he said they needed it in the drive thru. He then continued to make someone's bagel and said he would do mine in a minute. I asked for the manager...somebody came out. He wasn't interested in what I had to say and I asked for a refund for the pizza I didn't get..He did it, laughing at me the whole time. He turned around and they were all smiling and laughing. I have been in customer service my whole working career. If I was the owner/operator, I would be horrified at this treatment. Do better Tim...