Back in January, Tim Hortons was beta testing their loyalty rewards program, and as of today, it has launched in Canada for iOS and Android users, along with those using a Tims Rewards Card at restaurants.
Called the Tims Rewards program, Tim Hortons says when you sign up, you can “start earning rewards when you order at Tim Hortons or through the app.”
When Tim Hortons customers purchase 7 items, they will receive 1 item free at participating locations in Canada. All you have to do is scan your physical or digital Tims Reward Card when you make your purchases.
Once you’ve reached 7 eligible purchases, you’ll get a freebie applied towards a future purchase towards a coffee or tea of any size or baked good (except timbits or bagels). This is similar to the 7 purchases required at McDonald’s to get a free McCafe reward.
For transactions below $0.50 after a discount is applied (like redeeming a roll up the rim prize), or purchases made within 30 minutes of your last transaction, Tim Hortons customers will not have these purchases eligible towards the Tims Rewards program.
When ordering through the mobile app, you can also choose to skip applying a reward to save for later. Tim Hortons says you can bank up to 5 rewards and unused rewards expire after 120 days.
The new Tims Rewards program debuts after Starbucks revamped their loyalty program this morning, and McDonald’s recently launched their own digital coffee rewards program.
“Tim Hortons has some of the most loyal guests in Canada and Tims Rewards allows us to say thank you,” says Alex Macedo, President, Tim Hortons, in a statement. “We heard from our guests that a new rewards program had to be easy to use and redeem, that’s why we offer both a reusable card and a digital friendly app.”
Let us know if you’ll be taking part in the Tims Rewards program.
Update March 20, 2019:
To add the Tim Rewards card to Apple Wallet, login to the Tim Hortons website instead of the app, then you’ll find an option to add the card. You only can login to the site with an email, so those using Facebook will end up with a double account created (thanks everyone for the tip).
Tim Hortons said today on March 20, 2019, “for a limited time only, once you register you will also receive a free reward following your first purchase greater than $1.50.”
Michael Hancock, Tim Hortons’ chief operating officer, told the Financial Post testing of this new rewards program took longer than anything the company has done before, saying “We wanted to make sure we got this launch right,” adding “In terms of timing, we’ve had a ton on our plate in the past year in a half.”
When asked if this Tim Rewards program was a response to competitor programs, such as the McCafe Rewards program from McDonald’s, Hancock said “This isn’t a coffee program,” noting “This program wasn’t built to compete with other coffee programs.”
