A conversation is brewing about Canada’s famous coffee chain.
It started after an unusually humorous complaint letter was sent to the company’s head office recently. It was sent by a man from Calgary, Bryan Hansen, who says the lids used for Tim Hortons’ beverages are far from tops.
Read: Doughnuts are in demand
Hansen adds he’s had more than his fair share of scorched skin and dribbling drinks due to the alleged poor quality of the lids. He felt the need to pen the letter, he reveals, after what he refers to as a spectacular spill of a fresh coffee in his recently reconditioned truck console.
He jokingly compares that accident to a BP oil spill in his letter, which was surprisingly light-hearted. First, he addressed the letter to Tim Hortons’ lid managers, product containment engineers and liquid suppression experts.
He then went to on to mix pop culture references with his genuine safety and customer service complaints. For example, he described the plastic lids as “the worst thing to happen to Canadian popular culture . . . since Avril Lavigne married Chad Kroeger.” And on a more serious note, said they don’t open in a consistent manner and are prone to leaking.
In the end, Hansen called on the company to redesign the troublesome tops, saying a personal Facebook poll revealed 7% of his friends shared his views on the topic at the time he wrote his letter (judging by the national reaction to Hansen’s letter, the number may now be much higher).
Already, many online fans allegedly say they agree with Hansen’s claims. One Reddit post says McDonalds lids are far superior. Other posters have said the current lids may be hurting Tim Hortons’ business.
In response, company spokesman Michelle Robichaud has said in a statement the company appreciates the enthusiasm of its customers. However, she says Hansen’s concerns may not be universal. Nonetheless, “we will take his feedback into consideration,” she says.
In other java news, Second Cup is launching a new look so it can more aggressively compete with both Tim Hortons and McDonalds. The Toronto Star reports the chain, which currently operates more than 300 locations across Canada, has launched a new look at its flagship store in downtown Toronto to help drive sales.