Top 10 Tim Hortons Coffee Drinks

Feature Photo: chakkraphong jinthawet / Shutterstock.com

According to many consumers, starting the day without coffee is like trying to drive a car when there’s no fuel in the tank. Across America and Canada, part of the morning ritual of a working-class citizen includes paying a visit to the most convenient Tim Hortons they can find and grabbing their favorite coffee drink to go. Speaking as a former employee of Tim’s, I recall long drive-thru lineups of motorists placing their coffee orders. Among some of the consumers who wanted more than just to drink a cup of joe at our location, they also bought a tin of coffee to take home with them. Now speaking as a friend of a Tim Hortons fanatic who lives in Texas, her coffee experience when she visited Canada made such an impact on her that she orders her favorite tins of Tim’s coffee through me. She sends me the money and I go buy it, then send it to her. You know you’re an extreme Tim Hortons fan when you don’t care that the cost of international shipping almost costs as much as the coffee itself.

If you’re unfamiliar with Tim Hortons, this company started out as a simple little coffee and donut shop in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, by the NHL star himself, Tim Horton. Unfortunately for the man, he was unable to see how far his little business idea went as he perished in an automobile crash on February 21, 1974. His business partner, Ron Joyce, expanded Tim’s to become a chain of stores that specialized in selling coffee and baked goods. After stretching across Canada, Tim Hortons has since opened up shop in several other nations, including the United States. Today, Tim’s has over five thousand restaurant locations worldwide. In Canada, it is the largest chain of its kind as Canadians can’t seem to get enough of their Timmies.

So, what are the best coffee drinks Tim Hortons has to offer? Here are the top ten best coffee drinks Tim Hortons has on the menu:

#10 – The Wayne Gretzky

Nothing could possibly become more Canadian than a Tim Hortons coffee served up, Wayne Gretzky style. If you’re into black coffee, this would not be the drink for you. As a tribute to #99, this is a large cup of coffee that is sweetened with nine shots of cream and nine doses of sugar. This is the formula added to the infamous Tim Hortons Original Blend coffee whenever a customer asks for The Wayne Gretzky. While many coffee drinkers may argue this particular coffee drink shouldn’t be considered among the best, there are enough people who order this who will say otherwise.

#9 – New Dark Roast Coffee

In 2020, Tim Hortons answered the call among coffee drinkers to come up with a bolder flavoring to its Original Blend, Medium Roast recipe. It’s not quite as strong as the original but does have a bolder and darker profile. Although relatively new to the lineup, the New Roast Dark Coffee has quickly become a customer favorite. As a tin, it sells almost as often as the original, as well as coffee pods. The same premium 100% Arabica beans are used in the same signature recipe that made Tim Hortons famous. The only real difference is the roasting process. It doesn’t have more caffeine. In fact, it’s a wee bit less than the original but not enough to diminish the effectiveness of what a good cup of java is supposed to do.

#8 – Caramel Latte Supreme

As a coffee-related product, Tim Hortons Caramel Latte Supreme is among the luxurious favorites enjoyed by fans who love kicking up this velvety espresso a few notches above the norm. The caramel sauce added to this delectable delight turns an otherwise ordinary hot beverage into something extraordinary. However, the topping mix of whipped cream and caramel drizzle catapults this into stardom level as a coffee drink favorite. If an ordinary cup of java doesn’t seem like it’s going to cut it and you don’t mind tasting a bit of adventure, try the caramel latte supreme. There’s a good bet your senses will thank you for it.

#7 – Mint Chocolate Mocha

One talent Tim Hortons has honed in on as coffee connoisseurs are taking classic favorites such as a mocha latte and adding that special something to it. In this case, that special something is a hint of peppermint that makes this a major fan favorite during the winter season. Among coffee drinkers who are on the adventurous side, the Mint Chocolate Mocha is a refreshing option worth considering. If you’re feeling festive, this could be the perfect drink to spruce up the mood even further.

#6 – English Toffee Latte

While pots of hot coffee will always remain a staple favorite among fans of the product, the demand for alternate flavor experiences continues to make its mark. The Tim Hortons English Toffee Latte has become one of the most popular espresso-based drinks among coffee drinkers. When I worked at the location I did in Edmonton, Alberta, this was the most popular latte flavor that sold almost as often as the original. This wonderfully aromatic beverage perfectly balances the flavors of caramel and nuttiness that makes it buttery sweet, sip after sip. Among coffee drinkers who have a sweet tooth that may or may not want a donut to go with their order, the English toffee latte remains on the list as one of the best products Tim’s has to offer.

#5 – Mocha Latte

On their own, a latte from Tim Hortons is a wonderful coffee drink. However, jazzing it up with some chocolate makes it quite an experience. Adding to the combo of espresso and frothy milk is a signature cocoa mix offered by Tim’s that sweetens this highly favored drink into something extraordinary. As a finishing touch, this beauty is topped with chocolate-flavored whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate on top. If you’re a coffee drinker that also happens to have a sweet tooth, the Mocha Latte is for you. You really don’t need a donut to go with this delicious drink but having one anyway wouldn’t hurt, right?

#4 – French Vanilla Latte

Among the favorite coffee drinks Tim Hortons has to offer, the French Vanilla Latte ranks near the top in popularity. When I used to work at one of their store locations long ago, this was the item I drank the most often. Either in the form of a hot espresso bathing in frothy milk or as an iced cappuccino, this was my hands-down favorite. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who felt this way as it was ordered by the customers I served quite often. Even today, as a customer standing in an in-store lineup, I hear at least one person order the French Vanilla Latte most of the time. While working at the job I’m at now, I have at least two coworkers who come in each morning with this particular product. As they pass by, I try to take in the nutty aroma in an attempt to briefly perk myself up. What’s great about this particular coffee flavor is it’s sweet without overdoing it. It also goes really well with just about every edible product Tims Hortons has on the menu. Off and on, my big kick has been a medium French Vanilla Latte and an Everything Bagel with cream cheese.

#3 – Latte

When Tim Hortons opened up shop for the first time in 1964, it started out as a simple coffee and donut hangout. Since then, it has done more than expand as a chain of quick-service restaurants. Tim Hortons also expanded the menu. Aside from more varieties of baked goods, there were also more coffee drink varieties. Not only has Tim Hortons been able to keep up with consumer trends in this regard, but exceeded expectations. This is why Tim’s continues to expand as a franchise and why its drive-thrus are often kept busy. The Tim Hortons I worked at in Edmonton, Alberta, was one of the busiest in the city. Because of this, three more popped up at the same intersection we were at.

Among the most popular coffee drinks that were ordered, Tim Hortons Latte was a favorite among customers who wanted a bit more kick than the infamous double-doubles. Made from 100% Arabica expresso coffee beans and 100% milk, the balance of this frothy hot beverage was almost always paired up with a Tim Hortons Old Fashioned Plain Donut. I usually regarded this as a grown-up equivalent of milk and cookies whenever I observed customers inside the store I worked at happily dunk those donuts into their lattes. Like most of Tim’s products, the latte has a variety of flavor options to choose from. The original, however, always wins out as the popular favorite.

#2 – Iced Cappuccino

When Tim Hortons first introduced its Iced Cappuccino in 1999, this product caught on like wildfire across Canada. Who knew at the time ice cold coffee would become such a hit? For Tim’s, the popularity of the product became so great in the beginning that sometimes a few of the locations had trouble keeping up with customer demand. What really makes these icy drinks so highly favored was the generous cream that sat on top of what became one of Tim’s most popular beverages. Since 1999, Tim’s has expanded the iced cappuccino varieties. As popular as some of them have become themselves, nothing beats the original. Normally, white milk is used in the mix when putting this drink together. However, customers had been known to request chocolate milk instead. Depending on your personal preference, both of them are pretty good.

#1 – Original Blend, Medium Roast Ground Coffee

This was the infamous coffee that started it all for Tim Hortons. The company is quick to point out there are only three people who know the recipe to what is Tim’s signature blend. Using 100% Arabica beans from Central and South America is part of the secret. Not only do daily commuters fill up the drive-thrus and in-store lineups to get their hands on this particular coffee product, but so do the police officers. Forget what you think you know about cops and donut shops. Speaking as a former employee of Tim’s, what drew the men and women in uniform to the place was the coffee. They almost never ordered a donut or any other product for that matter. It was always the coffee. Even though the officers didn’t have to pay for a cup of coffee, they still had to pay for a tin of coffee if they wanted to take one home. This was something many of them did often.

When Tim’s first began to offer tins of coffee to customers, it was the Tim Hortons Original Blend, Medium Roast Ground Coffee. To this day, as new flavors join the lineup, it is the true blue original that remains on top as the all-time favorite. The popularity of this particular coffee is what brought about the infamous catchphrase, “double-double.” Even coffee shops that are not part of the Tim Hortons franchise know what this term means. Oddly enough, even though the double dose of milk and sugar was often requested each time this coffee was ordered, the majority of the customers I served wanted their favorite cup of java left as-is. The idea of adding anything to alter the original flavor of the coffee on its own was considered unfathomable to them. Now, speaking as a fan of coffee myself, it’s Tim Hortons Original Blend, Medium Roast Ground Coffee that I bring home the most often from for my Keurig.