Tim Hortons: reusable cups put to the test in Quebec

An investigation at around 50 Tim Hortons restaurants in Quebec highlights a gap between the franchise network’s guidelines and how they are applied. On 27 occasions, a paper cup was used to measure coffee intended for a reusable cup before being thrown away. For the franchising community, these observations raise a practical question: how can operators ensure that a procedure is followed consistently across their outlets?

An investigation across several regions of Quebec

Published on 9 November 2026 by Les Coops de l’information and reported the following day by L’Express Franchise, the investigation was conducted by journalists Justine Mercier and Marc Allard. Over the preceding weeks, they had asked staff at restaurants in several Quebec regions to fill an insulated bottle with coffee.

Their visits covered Outaouais, Saguenay, Estrie, Mauricie, Centre-du-Québec and Capitale-Nationale. Les Coops de l’information is a group of news organisations that includes Le Soleil, Le Droit, Le Nouvelliste and La Voix de l’Est.

Tim Hortons offers a C$0.10 discount to customers who bring their own cup, a measure promoted as a way to reduce waste. The investigation focused specifically on what happens behind the counter when these customers order coffee: does bringing a reusable container actually avoid the use of a disposable cup when the drink is served?

Three practices observed at the counter

Under the procedure described, restaurants should first pour the coffee into a washable measuring cup, then fill the customer’s cup. This allows staff to measure the serving without using a single-use container.

However, the journalists saw this measuring cup used only nine times. On 23 occasions, staff poured coffee straight from the coffee pot into the reusable container, judging the quantity by eye. In 27 cases, a paper cup was used as a measure before being thrown in the bin, sometimes along with its plastic lid.

These observations therefore highlight two separate issues: the use of a disposable container despite the customer’s effort to avoid one, and compliance with the network’s prescribed measuring method. Filling a cup directly does not generate the same waste, but it does not follow the procedure described either.

The findings relate to the visits reported in the investigation. On their own, they cannot establish how common these practices are across all Tim Hortons restaurants in Quebec or Canada.

The chain points to compliance with its guidelines

Asked for comment by email, Tim Hortons replied that the experience described “clearly does not comply with our guidelines”. The chain says every restaurant has a measuring cup and that the procedure is clearly defined.

It adds that its customers’ efforts, combined with changes to its packaging, have halved cup waste since 2019. This claim concerns the network’s overall record; it does not alter the findings about disposable cup use during the visits.

The response therefore frames the problem as one of implementing guidelines in restaurants, rather than a lack of an official method. The issue is whether the equipment the chain says it provides, its established instructions and staff’s actual actions at the counter are aligned.

A training issue for franchisees

Tim Hortons is owned by Restaurant Brands International. Within this franchise network, the franchisor sets procedures, while franchise operators recruit and train the teams responsible for putting them into practice each day.

This division of responsibilities makes training particularly important. A shared set of instructions does not, by itself, guarantee consistent practice in every outlet. The reusable cup example shows how a seemingly simple service task can test whether a promise to customers is being delivered consistently.

For the franchising community, the practical lesson is to check what staff actually do, not simply whether guidelines exist. Watching a few cups being filled, confirming that the measuring cup is readily accessible and reminding teams to use it are concrete checks that can help bring day-to-day service into line with the prescribed procedure.