Tim Hortons — Restaurant in Nanaimo

Hello. Thank you for reading my review. My name is Samuel Camp. I have ordered from this Tim Hortons location various times in the past. During this Covid-19 outbreak, I’ve managed to order three out of four times successfully. Please allow me to explain why, as well as details about all four of my visits. As of 4/27/2020, the day after the fourth visit to this Tim Hortons Establishment, I am writing and publishing this review. (Disclaimer: I’m not writing this to flame this employee or his Manager, more on that later).

First visit: I drove to the Bowen Road location and successfully ordered, noting special that time.

Second visit: repetition of the last visit.

Third visit: My father drove me because I offered to treat him. But that meant I had to exit the vehicle in order to pay.

(Note: this employee serviced me all four of these times).

Fourth visit (in paragraphs): I was running some walking distance errands because our family vehicles were not available at the moment. I decided to order lunch and an ice cap before going to work because I was tired and thirsty…

I decided to walk into the Drive-Thru. I was a paying customer who needed to order, the driver I lined up behind shared my objective and reasoning, so did the driver that pulled up behind me (he gave me a car space), I minded my position in the drive-thru, not walking in the middle and blocking drivers--Instead, I was toward the side of the drive-thru so I was safe. The line moved and I moved with it…

It was my turn, I arrived at the window. I slowly raised and waved my hand toward the camera with a smile, a simple and friendly hello gesture. The Employee came on the speaker and this is what he said...

“You’re not driving a vehicle with a registered licence plate, please leave the premises.”

I responded...

“I’m a paying customer and your doors are locked. Can I please order through the drive-thru? I just want to order an Ice Cap and a Bacon Grilled Cheese-”

He interrupted me...

“Sir, you’re not in a vehicle with a registered license plate. You must leave now!

He never gave me other reasoning, there was no sign on the door or menu that said I couldn’t order on foot in the drive-thru (if they did, then they’ve either posted it as I’m writing this review or I did not see it. Not exactly my fault)...

When this employee spoke to me, never along the lines of his speech did he say he was sorry about their policies that may-or-may-not have been posted. He had a rude tone in his voice and didn’t hesitate to deny me of service. Why would he do this? I ordered successfully from this same employee at least two or three times prior, I recognized his voice...

I never asked for this employee’s name or his manager. After he told me to leave, I obeyed. I didn’t say. I did not complain or express any actions of anger towards him.

Why is this a problem? (paragraphs): I basically received a rude and unjustified denial of service and it was discriminating. There should have been more reasoning behind the action conducted by this Tim Hortons employee. He had no reason to segregate me because I was walking through the drive-thru, I only did this because I was out of options. Otherwise, if they were open to walking customers like the Tim Hortons location on Uplands Drive, I wouldn’t have lined up with the cars… What if I was a cyclist or a customer with mobility issues, would they still deny me of service for these reasons?

As I close this review, I’m writing it with only one star because of how this employee segregated me. I do not wish to get him fired because work is hard to come by during Covid-19, I do not wish to flame the manager, and I do not wish to endorse any hate or negativity towards this establishment. If this review warrants legal action towards the corporate offices of Tim Hortons for a discriminative denial of service, I will do exactly that if it helps improve how employees and customers treat each other in times of crisis like Covid-19.

Kindest regards. -Samuel J Camp...

Now, I didn’t catch her name but on Jan 16, 2020 I went into this Tim Hortons for a morning coffee and bagel, the girl who greeted me at the counter was warm and inviting, complimented me on something we had mutual interest in, there is some shame on me because she caught my name and I didn’t catch hers even with her name tag on her shirt.

She made light talk while prepping my order, got a laugh out of me, and generally set the pace for a good morning. These are the people you need on the counter, and that’s the attitude that can go far making a guests day.

The coffee was great as was the bagel.

I left in a better mood then I came. And in that industry you can’t ask for more.

Excellent job Tim Hortons and I hope the girl who was working the counter at 9:00 am gets a well deserved recognition for her...

Always, always check your take out order before you walk away - look in the bag to make sure you got ALL you asked for, and check your drink to make sure it's what you asked for. Annoying, but they can't even fulfill a one item order when I'm the only one in line. As I found out when I took my muffin out at work an hour later anticipating a breakfast of a warm muffin with butter and discovered my breakfast choice had been changed to "dry muffin or nothing". Not the first time they've missed stuff by a long shot but I honestly didn't expect to have to inventory such a simple request. (In this TH's defense, I've had the same issue at all the other THs I've visited in town too. Apparently having a list on a screen to read as you fulfill the order doesn't help...