community January 29, 2025

Your First Tim Hortons Order: A Rite of Passage

From the mysterious double-double to Timbits and iced capps, here’s a newcomer’s guide to surviving (and enjoying) your first Tim Hortons experience.

5 min read

Your First Tim Hortons Order: A Rite of Passage

If you haven’t stood in line at Tim’s, you haven’t truly arrived in Canada. But ordering? That’s where things get tricky.


1. The Double-Double Mystery

It’s not a wrestling move. It’s coffee with two creams, two sugars.

If you don’t like sugar, say so—or prepare to buzz for 3 hours.


2. The Menu Overload

There are Timbits (donut holes), steeped tea, and breakfast sandwiches that taste better at 6 a.m. than 6 p.m.

Don’t panic—just pick one.


3. What Canadians Actually Order

  • Mornings: double-double or steeped tea
  • Road trips: large iced capp (yes, even in -20°C)
  • Kids: box of Timbits (parents eat half)

4. How Not to Freeze at the Counter

Practice your order in your head:

“Medium double-double, please.”

Repeat three times before your turn. This is your initiation.


The Bottom Line

👉 Tip: Nobody cares if you mispronounce it. Half the fun is learning. Bonus points if you grab a Roll Up the Rim cup and act shocked when you lose.

Related Stories

healthcare Mar 14

The Canadian Medical System: A Beginner’s Survival Guide

From family doctors to ER and Telehealth, here’s a simple guide for newcomers to understand how Canada’s healthcare system really works.

Read More →
settlement Sep 29

Driving & Pedestrian Etiquette: Who Goes First (and Why Everyone Waves)

From four-way stops to the famous Canadian 'thank you' wave, here’s a fun guide for newcomers learning the unwritten rules of the road.

Read More →
immigration Aug 29

How Much Polite is Too Polite in Canada?

Canadians are famously polite, but when does saying 'sorry' and 'thank you' go from kind to awkward? Here's your guide to balancing manners in Canada.

Read More →