What is Tim Hortons?
Answer
A Canadian quick-service restaurant chain founded in 1964 by hockey player Tim Horton in Hamilton, owned since 2014 by Restaurant Brands International, with about 4,000 Canadian locations.
Explanation
Tim Hortons is the largest quick-service restaurant chain in Canada and an iconic Canadian brand. The first Tim Hortons opened on May 17, 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario, founded by NHL defenceman Tim Horton (then playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs) and partner Jim Charade. After Horton's death in a car accident on February 21, 1974, his business partner Ron Joyce expanded the chain rapidly across Canada. Tim Horton is honoured in Canadian Hall of Fame.
Tim Hortons operates approximately 4,000 restaurants in Canada and another 1,500 internationally, including locations in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, the Philippines, India, and the Middle East. Canadian Tim Hortons restaurants serve more than 80 per cent of the country's coffee retail market and are present in essentially every Canadian community of more than 5,000 people. The chain's most popular products are coffee, the apple-fritter and honey-cruller donuts, the Iced Capp, Timbits, sandwiches, soup, and breakfast bagels.
Wendy's acquired Tim Hortons in 1995 for US$425 million but spun it off as an independent public company in 2006. Brazilian-owned 3G Capital, through Burger King Worldwide, acquired Tim Hortons in December 2014 for $12.5 billion to form Restaurant Brands International (RBI). RBI subsequently acquired Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and Firehouse Subs, making it one of the world's largest quick-service restaurant operators with about 30,000 restaurants in 100 countries. RBI is publicly traded on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges.
Tim Hortons supports several Canadian initiatives. The Tim Horton Children's Foundation, founded in 1974, sends underprivileged children to summer camps and operates seven Tim Horton Memorial Camps across Canada and the United States. The Roll Up The Rim contest, running since 1986, draws Canadian customers each spring. The Smile Cookie Week annual fundraiser supports local charities. Tim Hortons Brier (Canadian men's curling championship) and Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic outdoor games tie the brand to Canadian sports identity.
Why this matters for your test
Tim Hortons is one of Canada's most recognisable brands and a quintessential Canadian cultural symbol. Recognising the May 17, 1964 Hamilton opening and the 2014 RBI acquisition anchors the answer.
Source: Restaurant Brands International Annual Report; Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame
