Tim Hortons' Operators Fret It's Losing Its Canadian Culture
- Franchisees slam corporate parent, which also owns Burger King
- Restaurant Brands CEO says, ‘With changes comes anxiety’
1472645352_232564012
This article is for subscribers only.
Tim Hortons coffee and doughnuts are about as closely linked with the Canadian identity as hockey and universal health care, but the institution is under attack.
That’s the view of many of the chain’s franchisees, who are chafing under the corporate ownership of Restaurant Brands International Inc., the fast-food conglomerate that also runs Burger King and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. They claim that efforts to squeeze money from restaurant operators are destroying Tim Hortons’ nice-guy image and forcing them to scale back community programs, including youth hockey.