across the wire

...with my old coffee fling, Tim Hortons.

I have been avoiding this day for a long time, but it has finally arrived and I must end my love affair with Tim. You might be thinking - "WTF?" or "can this be true?" Yes I assure you it is, me and T-Hos are over. I have been disappointed time and time again and there is just no other way but to call an end to my relationship with Tim's and I must admit after 11 years together, it is not easy and I will have to shed a few tears.

I am breaking up with this Canadian coffee icon for several reasons: I am really bored with the coffee there, they have blasphemed the good name of espresso based drinks, and have become consistently bad with any food offerings. The only thing that I still order from T-Hos is a blueberry bagel.

They have a "blended" drink they call an "iced cap(puccino)" which is simply a sugary, coffee flavoured syrup mixed with milk and sugary ice crystals much like a slurpee. This drink only faintly resembles something like an espresso based traditional cappuccino, and I feel Tim Hortons is responsible for ruining the image of a quality coffee beverage. At a regular cafe, when one orders a cappachino, they get espresso toped with some steamed milk and lots of foam. Nothing like what they get at Tim Hortons. My friend who works at Starbucks had a customer ask for an "iced cap" and when he brewed the espresso, added the milk and toped with ice (no sugar added) the customer went nuts stating "this is not right, make it like Tim Hortons." Shameful, simply shameful. Tim Hortons, don't call it an "iced cap" when it is really a coffee*like* slurpee.

The coffee is always the same, no change in taste, no change in strength, nothing. One brew for all. I am getting really bored with the same dirty old acidic blend they brew which is only out done by the over pricing of their poorly made foods. The doughnuts have become worse and worse, and the food menu expanding is making what was once one or two good food items, into several under quality food items.

Sorry Tim Hortons. My consistent support of you is over. You were my first cup of "real" coffee when I was 14 and to that I truly owe you a lot. But, as my tastes evolve so must my coffee - and you have simply remained the same. I know you will make many people happy, just not me. Maybe you can win me back someday, and in a pinch I will still honour you by buying your coffee every once in a while, especially on the trips to Saskatoon.

So, to my first coffee love I say good bye. :(

And to all other cafes out there, here I come ready to have you win me over. So far, "The Fyxx" is in the lead followed by very closely by Starbucks.