Tim Hortons in Kentville and New Minas: Wrong Orders

By lynn

I have stopped getting coffee at my Tim Hortons in Kentville and New Minas NS as they can never get the orders correct!  I order coffee thru the drive thru and sometimes get a tea, black coffee or coffee with cream.

I used to purchase their coffe by the prefilled brick and they have changed the price and  # per box but have not changed their signs!   I brought this to their attention and received 4 different calls advising me wthis would be corrected and it’s been almost 4 months and still not corrected!

So I go to the others ones now even though I don`t really love their coffee but they get the orders correct.

30 Responses to “Tim Hortons in Kentville and New Minas: Wrong Orders”


  1. 0

    goodeatinghuntress says...

    I understand what you mean. I haven’t shopped at any Timmie’s since Feb. 2. It isn’t rocket science. Pour the coffee in, put in the extras, slap a lid on it and mark it correctly. Problem solved.

  2. 0

    michelle says...

    I used to work at a timmies, and for all the people that think its one of the easiest jobs– you need to go work there…I doubt many of you would last half an hour —The staff at Tim Hortons is constantly put down by customers as well as by management—we have orders of 5 cars ordering mass amounts of coffee as well as other items, and we are also on a stop clock to get that customer gone in 22 seconds if possible—if you don’t believe that look up and you will see a timer in the drivethrough window. It makes for a harried day at work especially when the customer thinks that you are beneath them because you work at a Tims and how hard could that be….. Well coming from an old employee—you would be surprised!

  3. 0

    Christine says...

    I agree with Michelle. I work at Tim Hortons and it’s NOT that easy.. especially if it’s a really busy store. I just wish that some people would be more considerate about commenting especially since they don’t really know what goes down in the store.. I know getting the wrong coffee sucks and you have all the right to stop buying at a certain store if they keep getting it wrong.. but please do not degrade timmies employees by saying “it isn’t rocket science”. Work at a really busy store for like an hour first and then see if you can still say that.

  4. 0

    Eric says...

    Michelle, TOTALLY agree with you. I worked at the Tim’s in Sackville, NB. I was there for about a year until one day.

    It was Victoria Day weekend, and I already had a pretty bad week. Being the only Tim Hortons in a University town right on the Highway, we had a LOT of customers. Oh, and of course I was literally the only person on counter, despite me asking my manager for some assistance. Anyway, the lineup was getting pretty bad and one customer wanted a few sandwiches. As I made them, I heard a customer behind the one I was serving say how stupid and slow I was. I finished making the sandwiches, handed them to the customer and told the offending customer, “F*** You!”

    Well, he complained to the owner (who both lives in Moncton and probably never poured a cup of coffee a day in his life). Needless to say, I was fired.

    The job isn’t so bad when you have nice customers, even some that may be a little cranky. But when you get assholes that are in the mindset that you are there for THEIR service and theirs alone, yeah it gets to ya.

  5. 0

    Eric says...

    Plus, go to McDonald’s. Their coffee is MUCH better.

  6. 0

    Just me says...

    Oh and why are you on a 22 second per customer order? So you guys can rack up your Timmis points to spend at Walmart. Yes did everyone know thats why you have terrible customer service at times, faster the cars go thru more points calculated.

  7. 0

    Angy says...

    I have worked at Tim’s, It is not that hard to get the order right. I have been at one of the busiest ones in Halifax, I have worked the Busiest shifts and I don’t think it is rocket scientist. I am tired of getting my order wrong every morning I stop at Tim’s some time I stop Two times a day and 75% of the time my order is wrong so I started looking at everything before I leave the window to make sure everything is in order. The staff is looking at me like I have two or three heads. I don’t care about the time that they have to meet, if they got the order right the first time they would not have to wait for me to move. 5 days in a row, same Tims, same issues. I want a BLT sandwich on a 12 grain bagel, I state no egg as I can’t eat the egg *can,t have onions* plus I want cheddar cheese on it 5 days in a row I get a BELT after stating that I clearly wanted a BLT Sandwich on a 12 grain Bagel with Cheddar Cheese. I HAVE THE RIGHT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SERVICE AT TIM’S IN HALIFAX METRO NS as I know it is not hard to get things right working at Tim Horton’s!!!!!!!!1111lll“`11!!

  8. 0

    Christine says...

    @JustMe: what points are you talking about? Most times staff don’t get anything if they do get an under 25 second average window time. I work in a very busy store and we’re always at like a 20 second average window time but we don’t get anything for it. And it’s the management that orders them to have to be under that time, it’s not like they’re hurrying just because they felt like it, thing is they’re just doing their job. If they are slow it’s their heads that get chewed off so I honestly think they just try and do the best they can with what they’re given.

    @Angy it’s too bad that you get really bad customer service and I would’ve been pissed off as well if I were in your position, and you have all the right to complain. But in our store when we make mistakes we own up to them and apologize sincerely. I suggest you switch stores to one that has better customer service.

  9. 0

    Colin says...

    I have not ever worked at Tim Hortons, but I am an observant customer. I think it’s awful how some customers can behave. Beside acting like a$$holes towards the staff, I’ve seen people mumble their order, or make an order why talking on cell phones or texting… If you aren’t paying attention to your order, why should the employee??

    I also find it funny how some people exaggerate about the frequency of wrong orders. If your orders are “always wrong” then why go back? Plus, coffee/caffeine is an addition (i.e. potentially bad for health in excessive amounts). Do your body a favour and give it up!

    I swicthed to decaf in 2007 and never looked back. I only go to Tim Hortons once a week now, on Sunday afternoons. I am saving myself over $1000 a year, since I used to drink 2 or 3 XL coffees a day!

    In the past year, I think my order has been wrong only one time. That’s pretty good.

    OK.. thats my rant. I have a LONG standing issue with how people behave at Tim Hortons. Thankfully I only deal with it once a week now instead of 20 times a week! :)

  10. 0

    mealsonwheels says...

    @Angy: I think I might be guilty of that. My cousin came through drive thru and had a similar order. Don’t throw in the egg part. BLT is pretty straightforward - Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato with Cheddar Cheese. Simple. You throw in the egg and they want to give you a BELT.

    I’ve been working at Tim’s for a year now, and most of the time it’s the customers who don’t know how to order.
    Customer: “I’d like a cappucino”
    Me: “Sure, what kind?”
    Customer: “Hot one”
    Me: “We have French Vanilla and English Toffee”
    … and then it continues
    It seems as if I have to hold the customers hand and walk them through the order.
    Or they ask for things that we don’t have like lattes, fruit punch, toast, etc.
    For those of you who read the signs, good job. We’ve never had a problem with that.
    As for messing up orders, I think it’s the lack of communication. We’re listening to order after order and everyone but the person is working from their short term memory.
    I don’t like making mistakes, but it happens.

  11. 0

    fe says...

    This has happened to me in almost most of my encounters with Tim hortons.. i guess theyre all dumb?

  12. 0

    M O says...

    In my experience with Timmy HoHo, most of the time I receive the wrong order, and I never go through the drive-thru. One time I ordered a coffee with milk and NO sugar. However, I received a coffee with sugar. When I commented, I was scolded for saying “No sugar” and that I shouldn’t add comments like that. I told the employee that perhaps she should listen to her customers. I now rarely go into Timmy HoHo. Some people think that I’m a coffee snob; I just like good customer service.

  13. 0

    queenlacheapa says...

    I agree with Eric go to McDonald’s their coffee is fabulous! I haven’t bought a Tim’s in a very long time.

  14. 0

    mandie says...

    This would have been awhile ago, but it made me so mad. I was visiting my mom in the hospital and she had asked for a tea from Timmies. SO I get to Timmies order the tea milk and no sugar, get it back to the hospital and of course both teas had sugar, now i know mistakes happen, but i was annoyed and so I took them back. The lady at Timmies got very anygry with me and claimed i said sugar when i know i had not. She then grabbed the two cups from me and dumped them out, she said i will give you a new tea but you will have to wait 20 mins and she proceeded to dump out the whole pot of tea and then spent the next twenty mins complaining about me to a co-worker.

  15. 0

    Richards says...

    Mandie,
    that’s when you ask for the Manager and if one is not available you complain to head office. Never be accepting of inferior service not matter where it is from. It is not necessary and you are paying for the service in your $$

  16. 0

    budge says...

    as far as the comments about asking for NO sugar the employee was right. why even bother saying no sugar. it’s very easy to misunderstand that. just say i want a coffee with milk. why would you even add sugar when there is no mention of that. also at the store that i work at people are trained to repeat back every order to eliminate the chance of an error. if the customer doesn’t listen to you confirming because they are talking to a friend or on their cell then off course the order is going to be wrong. in fact it is now the customers error because they didn’t listen to what you were asking. doesn’t make them stupid. it is also extemeley noisy and at a busy location your customer count is roughly 3000 people a day.

  17. 0

    Karen says...

    tims rarely get driv-thru orders correct-probably due to the heaset, and the fact that they can’t hear/use it properly, or that the don’t care because they are making min. wage and are just putting in time.

  18. 0

    roseofblack25 says...

    I used to work at tims when I was 16…its not the greatest job in the world mainly because of the customers…I had a lady threaten to throw her tea in my face if I handed her a cold one again…ummmm it was bagged tea for one…and scalding hot (everyone knows the water that comes out of that thing is freaking hot I have burn marks from it splashing my hands!)…I didnt know how to please her thankfully one of the managers stepped in and then they told me after she is like that all the time when she orders…well if she always thinks the scalding hot water is too cold why keep coming back two or three times a day???

  19. 0

    fc says...

    I also have worked at timmies
    and no its NOT hard to make the right coffee

    unless the order takers makes an error and you just fill the order
    tim hortons suck anywaysi think the roll up is a scam

  20. 0

    Shirley says...

    One of the first things I learned while being trained as a manager at Burger King was not to expect the customer to know your menu. It is up to the employee to get the proper order. Not everyone goes to your store every day and knows your jargon. At BK if you order a plain whopper, we would give you a bun and the meat, and that is all. However the customer meant he just wanted a regular whopper without cheese. No wonder he was mad when he got that pared down ‘plain whopper’. It is up to the employee to double check if there can be any doubt as to the meaning of what the customer says. Blame the customer can not possibly make for good customer relations. Also, if someone accidently spilled a drink on the way to his table, we would replace it free of charge. A little bit of good will brings people back again.

  21. 0

    D-Raj says...

    I jus wanna say one thing if u get your order wrong all the times then stop goin to tim hortons go wast your money at starbucks or make your coffe at home like the way you acually want it. I been working at Tim Hortons for 4 years now and we rarely get a complain probably twice a month or something, if you have a problem with timmies then STOP going there!!!

  22. 0

    underwear says...

    How may times can I repeat myself, one milk and half a sugar, not hard to understand, 1 milk 1/2 sugar, not difficult, why o why do i always get cream and a full sugar. The reason why I add milk and sugar is to hide the crappy taste of the coffee, just like a corona beer add a lemon/lime slice to your beer b/c it tastes like sh*t otherwise.
    A good cup of coffee should be consumed as is, no additives or extras. When you have an espresso you dont add sugar, why? b/c you want to taste the coffee, not the sugar.

    Anyways, 1 milk half a sugar, guess that’s why I have to get packages of milk and sugar and add the ingredients myself. That’s customer service,

  23. 0

    underwear says...

    And I only order from the same place 1 cup of coffee, no other consumables, just a cup of coffee.

  24. 0

    Anonymous says...

    Wow!
    This is exactly why i dont miss working at TH! i worked there for 1 & 1/2 years in a very busy Vancouver location. i started out with almost no experience and it didnt take me long before i was doing everything perfectly. i was training employees early on, and in many ways i was doing the supervisors & managers duties. Yet i was still only an employee.Most customers loved my service, but i had the occasional jerk.

    i very seldomly got an order wrong and majority of the time that i did, it was because my 1 coworker in particular (very experienced) didnt key it right.(There’s like a million codes to type on many of the till buttons, so i can understand how they wouldve messed up. But i mastered it not long in). That coworker was known for messing up but they continued to be employed there. i on the other hand wa praised several times by different customers on my ongoing outstanding service. Even customers trying to recruit me elsewhere, telling me i was too good for TIMMYS. i LOVED that type of customer relations and i miss that part of it. But i DONT miss all the B*llsh*t i was put through by a few customers and some B.S. that went on with some jealous coworkers, etc… Some customers think so much of themselves and its unbeleivable! If you expect to get good service, then treat your server with some respect, dont speak to them like youre above them! That can give them a want to spit in your order (not that knew of any of that going on)- just an example. Treat the workers like they are people and then you will likely not feel the need to complain about anything.
    As for customers orders constantly being wrong. You might want to make sure you are asking for it correctly! If you continuously receive the incorrect order. Perhaps it is you as well…. you not speaking load enough, or clearly, (and yes it is also loud and busy in the store). If you dont want a certain ingredient then DONT mention it. Easy as that! Perhaps your order taker is in training and if so, that should be made clear and the customers should be nice enough to go slow on them! If they are new, the manager should not be putting them at such a busy traffic time and should ease them into it.

    If a customer cant say their order correctly and clearly, they shouldnt be surprised if they dont get what they want. If you DONT want an ingrediant in your coffee or sandwich, then DONT mention the ingredient (unless its not normally in the order, and THEN you can mention you want it added!) Otherwise you are only confusing the order taker with a bunch of extra info which may not have been spoken loudly or clearly/misheard.

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  26. 0

    Chase says...

    I’ve had problems with Tim Hortons before, but I’m pretty sure never with any of the employees who have posted here - because you’re literate. I know you’re not meant to say this, but by far the biggest problem with Tim’s are those locations where nobody there can speak English (or French) properly, because I imagine the owner/manager has hired all his family and friends. I have nothing against people who are new to Canada or from different cultures, but if you are physically unable to carry out a simple conversation in English or French, and cannot understand your store’s own menu, you shouldn’t have that job.

  27. 0

    lynn says...

    people make mistakes. when you are at a store as busy as tim hortons did you ever notice how noisy it is . Sometimes it’s hard to hear over all the noise. nobody purposely gets your order wrong and their not stupid. they serve a huge amount of customers in a day and usually on drivethru they have 3-5 orders on there screen all at once. if you always get the wrong order, check it before you pull away.

  28. 0

    lisa says...

    well i have worked at the digby tims it not hard to pour coffee and i think it all in how your trained in that store personaly and feather more i think it had alot to do with the enviroment that you work in and the people that is spoce to help you on your shife and i never had a problem severing customer at all i did all stations loved it it just the rest of the team that did not like me they think there better that everone but hey that life but severice is key when it comes to coumster

  29. 0

    Carrie says...

    I’ve been to MANY Tim’s restaurants while driving back and forth between Halifax and Toronto and have rarely had a problem. You can depend on them for consistent quality in both their food and service. Only issue I’ve had is coffee that’s had too much cream added…not all Tim’s have the mechanical Sureshot dispensers but they should.

    p.s. are there really people out there that say “no sugar”???

  30. 0

    hgh says...

    I opine this is a echt extraordinary article mark.Thanks Again. Real Uppercase.

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