McDonald’s and Tim Hortons coffee are not the same things. That said, the coffee served by McDonald’s in Canada comes from a supplier called Mother Parkers. This is the same supplier Tim Hortons used to use before they built their own roasting facility.
Besides you can tell they are different if you do your own taste test. However, both are leading sellers of coffee to a majority of Canadians and many Americans. McDonald’s not only has better tasting coffee but they also offer more coffee drink choices in their menus. But, Tim Hortons will make anyone’s coffee to order.
What Kind of Coffee Does McDonald’s Serve?
McDonald’s serves 100% Arabica bean coffee.
They have a large selection of blended coffee drinks that include delicious offerings such as:
Hot
- Americano
- Cappuccino
- Caramel Cappuccino
- Caramel Latte
- Caramel Macchiato
- French Vanilla Cappuccino
- French Vanilla Latte
- Latte
- Mocha
- Premium Roast Coffee
Iced
- Caramel Frappé
- Iced Caramel Coffee
- Iced Caramel Latte
- Iced Caramel Macchiato
- Iced Coffee
- Iced French Vanilla Coffee
- Iced French Vanilla Latte
- Iced Latte
- Iced Mocha
- Mocha Frappé
What Kind of Coffee Does Tim Hortons Serve?
Tim Hortons serves Arabica and Robusta varieties of coffee beans. They create their own blend between the two and sell them as separate varieties.
They offer a host of drinks like:
Hot
- Café Mocha
- Cappuccino
- Double Double (2 shots of cream, two shots of sugar in an Original Brewed)
- French Vanilla Cappuccino
- Latte
- Original Brewed
Iced
- Iced Capp Supreme
- Iced Coffee
- Iced French Vanilla
- Iced Capp (Cappuccino)
From Where Does McDonald’s Source Their Coffee Beans?
In Canada and the United States, McDonald’s sources their coffee beans from Mother Parkers and/or Gaviña Gourmet Coffee, respectively. However, they also use Newman’s Own, Seattle’s Best and Green Mountain Coffee. McDonald’s has received its coffee supply from Gaviña Gourmet Coffee since 1983.
However, since 2019, McDonald’s Canada partnered with the Rainforest Alliance to serve only coffee from beans 100% sourced from certified beans by the Rainforest Alliance. This initiative isn’t the same as in the United States.
From Where Does Tim Hortons Source Their Coffee Beans?
Tim Hortons used to get their coffee beans from Mother Parkers. But, since they erected their own roasting facility, they source their beans from independent and smallholder farms located all over the world. Mainly, though, they get their beans from Guatemala and Colombia.
What Kind of Coffee Does Mother Parkers Supply?
Mother Parkers supplies bulk Fair Trade coffee to various brands throughout North America. Since 1912, they have been the main supplier for many major restaurant and food service chains. They supply both Arabica and Robusta varieties with two main roasting plants. One is in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and the other is in Fort Worth, Texas, USA.
They source their coffee from the expanse of the world’s coffee belt and their professionals select on the best beans. They ensure they use smallholder farms from South America to Africa and Southeast Asia.
Does McDonald’s Roast Their Own Coffee Beans?
No, McDonald’s does not roast their own coffee beans. They acquire their coffee from professional roasters who do so before McDonald’s receives it.
Does Tim Hortons Roast Their Own Coffee Beans?
Yes, Tim Hortons roasts their own coffee beans. They’ve done this since about 2009 at their facility in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They also have a portion of the beans roasted at a second facility in New York. Between the two, they produce 75% of the beans Tim Hortons serves to customers daily.
Which Tastes Better: McDonald’s or Tim Hortons Coffee?
According to MacLean’s Coffee Ranker, over 15,000 people in Canada ranked McDonald’s coffee over Tim Hortons. Even people who don’t often drink coffee said McDonald’s was better. This is because Tim Hortons blends Robusta with Arabica varieties.
Robusta tends to be a very strong and bitter bean that doesn’t have the same sweet smoothness as Arabica. Therefore, it’s not for everyone in this regard.
Do Canadians Still Drink & Favor Tim Hortons Coffee?
Many Canadians still drink and favor Tim Hortons but this has dropped severely over the last few decades. This is due to changeovers and mergers as well as poor customer treatment in recent years. Canadians don’t seem to love the brand as much as they used to.
Even if some Canadians still find Tim Hortons to be better and tastier than McDonald’s, there’s a sour taste in their attitude toward the company.
Did Tim Hortons Sell Their Coffee Recipes to McDonald’s?
No, Tim Hortons never sold their coffee recipes to McDonald’s. It’s just that McDonald’s sources their beans from Mother Parkers, which is the previous supplier of Tim Hortons coffee. Tim Hortons considers their coffee to be a mainstay in their profits and wouldn’t share proprietary information with a competitor, per the company’s CEO.
Did Tim Hortons Merge with McDonald’s?
No, McDonald’s didn’t merge with Tim Hortons, but the same conglomerate that owns Burger King did merge with Tim Hortons in August of 2014 for $11.4 billion. Therefore, Tim Hortons is now part of Restaurant Brands International, which is a Brazilian investment firm and holding company.
Is Tim Hortons Still a Native Canadian Brand?
For decades Tim Hortons was a Canadian-based company, solely owned and operated there by the legendary Canadian hockey star. However, the company has experienced a couple sell offs since the real Tim Hortons’s death in 1973.
First, the Wendy’s Corporation purchased the Canadian chain in 1995 for $580 million. But then Restaurant Brands International bought Tim Hortons from Wendy’s in 2014 for $11.4 billion, as mentioned above.
Therefore, Tim Hortons is no longer a Canadian company and is, in fact, a foreign entity that operates in Canada. An American burger conglomerate owned by a Brazilian holding company is the proprietor of Tim Hortons. Since these changeovers, most Canadians no longer identify with the brand.
Why Did McDonald’s Create McCafé Drinks?
Due to McDonald’s lagging behind Tim Hortons and Starbucks, they upped their game to offer competitive coffee drinks.
Hi, I’m Jen Williams, chief editor and writer for ThirstPerk.com.
I’ve been drinking coffee and tea for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I started working at Thirstperk.com that I became an expert on the subject. I’m a total caffeine addict who has spent hours upon hours reading about and experimenting with the different types of coffees out there in my search to find the perfect cup of joe.
I’ve been a tea lover for as long as I can remember as well. I grew up in a house with a mom who loved to drink herbal tea, and I think that’s where my love for tea first began. These days, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting teas to try, and I love experimenting with different brewing methods and flavoring combinations.