BLOCKBUSTER: Tim Hortons Set to Invade New York City

Ice Crack in a cup

Although recently they’ve been really good about it, I’ve given the Riese Company a lot of crap over the years for not participating in various free food promotions at some of their Midtown franchises.  Well after reading this news on the NRN Website I’m here to say I TAKE IT ALL BACK:

The Riese Organization, a longtime multi-concept franchisee in New York City, is converting all 13 of its Dunkin’ Donuts stores to the Tim Hortons brand… Riese said he plans to close the Dunkin’ locations on Friday and reopen the stores July 13 under the Tim Hortons banner.

According to a different article on NRN, Tim Hortons also has cut a deal to co-brand three Manhattan locations of Cold Stone Creamery with Tim Hortons (including the Times Square location on 42nd btw. 7+8th), which will hopefully clear the way for items like  “muffin ‘bowls’ (i.e., with the tops removed) to serve ice cream in, ice cream-based coffee drinks or donut piece mix-ins for the ice cream as potential exclusive menu items at the co-branded locations.” My lord.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Tim Hortons, it is basically the Canadian version of Dunkin Donuts started by a famous hockey player named Tim Horton (natch). I’ve only had it once (on a road trip to Montreal) and I can’t speak for their doughnuts- but based on their iced cappuccino alone I am pretty excited to welcome Tim Hortons to Midtown with open arms! It is like ice cold crack in a cup, and I will probably drink one every day between now and the end of the summer.

As for why Riese is no longer in business with DD, the original article goes on to note that Dunkin Donuts claims to have terminated their contract due to “violated health and safety regulations”. (Not a surpise to anybody who has walked into a Tad’s Steak.) I don’t care either way… I will take a dirty Tim Hortons over no Tim Hortons any day of the week. As long as they don’t screw up those iced cappuccinos.

A list of all Riese owned Dunkin Donuts locations (which will presumably become Tim Hortons locations on Monday) is after the jump.

Midtown Locations:

  • 761 7th Avenue @ 50th St. 212-767-8347
  • 152 West 34th Street bet. 6th & 7th Ave. 212-630-0319
  • 47 East 42nd St. bet. Park & Madison Ave., 212-681-8501
  • Penn Station, LIRR Level, 212-630-0314
  • Madison Square Garden, Taxi Ramp. 212-594-0204

Other Locations:

  • 48 New Street @ Wall St., 212-483-8319
  • 50 Fulton Street @ Cliff St. 212-732-6551
  • 2547 Broadway @ 94th St., 212-316-2915
  • 1276 Lexington Avenue @ 86th St., 212-339-8868
  • 451 Fulton Street, Brooklyn. 718-237-9346
  • 22 Court Street, Brooklyn. 718-624-1107

31 Comments

  • May 30, 2008: “If I drank milkshakes at lunchtime, I would weigh 10,000 pounds. It’s just science. ”No Milkshake Rule” = Zach is still alive.”

    July 9, 2009: “It is like ice cold crack in a cup, and I will probably drink one every day between now and the end of the summer.”

    Looks like were going to by burying Zach in a piano case in September

  • HOLY CRAP HOLY CRAP HOLY CRAP HOLY CRAP HOLY CRAP HOLY CRAP HOLY CRAP HOLY CRAP HOLY CRAP HOLY CRAP

    (my excited sentiments here, Zach)

    PS: Check this truck out! We need it in Midtown!
    http://themoment.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/seeing-things-the-coolest-new-truck-in-town/

  • Assumptions:
    Dunkin’ Donuts = USA
    Tim Hortons = Canada
    Fact:
    USA > Canada
    Therefore
    Dunkin’ Donuts > Tim Hortons and anyone who thinks otherwise is not American and hates my freedom.

  • I agree with Spam, don’t hate America

  • User has not uploaded an avatar

    Holy Crap! I love Tim Hortons!! I went to school near Buffalo and that’s all they had. I hate to say it, but they’re actually better than Dunkin

  • Muffin Bowls? i.e. the stumps? yuck!

    Top of the Muffin to you!

  • It’s all meaningless if they dont bring the apple beignet here!

  • I got excited to see that Tim Hortons might replace ths Sh!thole DD near me but, Dammit, its not happening midtown. :-( I will settle for shitty coolattas in the meantime.

  • Mwa-ha-ha-ha! Step one in our world domination plan is complete.

    Now, bring on the Timbits!

  • User has not uploaded an avatar

    My freshman roommate at the U of Michigan in the dorms was from Canada and used to bike 5 miles there and back just to get an iced capp. To say the least she was obsessed…I’m kind of excited to finally be able to try what fueled her long outings…

  • Sounds like your roomie was smart enough to use the bike to mitigate the calorie bomb.

  • Zach, once again your excitement over a chain coming to NYC is lost on me…

  • User has not uploaded an avatar

    I bet Rebecca De Mornay would be interested in this development.

  • Well susan, it’s just replacing Dunkin Donuts… I’m all for chain diversification.

  • User has not uploaded an avatar

    Speaking as a Canadian who has recently moved to New York, I do not understand at all what the fuss is about. Tim Hortons, like Dunkin Donuts, is simply a shitty coffee and donuts chain serving mediocre donuts, fairly disgusting sandwiches, and shitty coffee. If the midtown lunch website has taught me anything, it’s to search out interesting alternatives to this type of chain. I’m disappointed that even Zach has bought into all the undeserved hype that surrounds Tim Hortons.

  • User has not uploaded an avatar

    Zach,

    I had Tim Horton’s for the first time this past weekend near Niagara Falls. It was not good. The coffee was shitty and the donuts were worse. Seriously, this is not a gain in any way.

  • I wonder what a commercial like this cost?

  • Tim Horton’s is great! The closest you can get it is Mystic, CT. I’ve had it in Buffalo, Rochester, Montreal and Toronto and never been dissapointed.

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