Can a free cup lure coffee drinkers from Tim's to McDonald's?
By Jason Buckland, Sympatico / MSN Finance
Say what you want about McDonald’s, but there’s a reason they’ve served over 99 billion, or approximately half the people convinced Paula Abdul is a raging alcoholic.
Mickey D’s is again proving why it might be the savviest restaurant chain around, offering free coffee for the next two weeks in a bid to nab about the only market share in fast food they don’t already have.
That’s right, every morning until May 3rd, you can walk into any of McDonald’s 1,400 Canadian locations and they’ll give you a small coffee absolutely free.
The only catches to the deal aren’t really catches at all. You have to get the cup between 5:00-10:30 a.m., you can only get one per customer and the deal isn’t available with an extra value meal.
Other than that, you’re in the clear.
On the surface, this is a pretty great bargain. You pay nothing – you don’t even have to buy a burger or anything, so people with the “I wouldn’t touch McDonald’s food EVER!!!” high-horse argument can’t complain – and you get a free cup of coffee that’s, by all accounts, pretty underrated. (I call this the Subway Cookie Theory, reserved for fast food items you’d never really think to order but turn out to be delicious.)
Of the coffee drinkers I asked for this post, the reviews I got for McDonald’s coffee ranged from “surprisingly good” to “better than Tim Hortons.”
And while that last statement probably ticks you off, that’s where the genius in this free coffee promotion lies. McDonald’s appears to have a pretty good coffee product they’re confident in, but have never had a window to steal drinkers away from the major retailers.
But with the economy crapping the bed and Tim’s and Starbucks either reeling from poor sales or having to shutter stores altogether, you can easily make a case that people might turn elsewhere for a cup of joe now -- especially when it’s free.
And the Globe and Mail points out how the two-week promo (the deal started yesterday) will benefit McDonald’s even more than just getting its coffee out there.
“If you can get someone to try your product every day for two weeks it becomes an acquired taste,” market analyst Michael Krestell tells the newspaper.
“To get them into a routine you have the potential to break (them from) a previous habit. It’s no coincidence.”
Turning the rabid Tim’s faithful away from their familiar cup won’t be easy, but damnit if McDonald’s isn’t going to try.
Posted by: Maurice | Apr 21, 2009 3:46:39 PM
Did anyone notice that Tim's has reduced the size of the cups and increased the price.
Posted by: Gemineye | Apr 21, 2009 4:00:31 PM
Tim Horton's pretends to be Canadiana, when in fact, they are far from it. I know Mc D's isn't very Canadian but at least they don't lie about it. Every single cup of coffee I get from Timmy's is terrible, it's my last choice for coffee, with the exception of, Coffee Time. Get your heads out of your a**es.
Posted by: Doug | Apr 21, 2009 4:30:23 PM
What is good about McD's? The orange juice. I have never liked their food, and even with an improved coffee blend, that is not enough to turn me away from Tim's. I doubt they will make a dent in Tim Horton's bottom line. Tim Horton's is also no longer owned by Wendy's. The stock subscriptions were snapped up, largely by Canadians, with headquarters in Oakville, Ont. That is pretty much Canadian to me. There is a reason they outsell and out gross MacD's and Starbucks combined in this country. Better food, better coffee, better image. I'll stand in line gladly.
Posted by: Brian | Apr 21, 2009 4:51:23 PM
My wife & I are retired and switched to McD's when they started offering a small coffee & a muffin (which we normally split) for $1.39 last year. Add in a seniors coffee and the total comes to $2.50 with tax, LESS than the price of 2 medium coffees at Tim's with no muffin. McD's "small" is exactly the same size a a Timmy's "medium" . We found that we came to like the taste of McDonald's better as well.
Posted by: Brent | Apr 21, 2009 5:44:03 PM
It's enough of an incentive for me to try it and base my own opinion of how it compares to T.H. To be honest I have high hopes.. if I wait in line less, it costs less, and it tastes as good or better, I'll be happy
Posted by: Andy T | Apr 23, 2009 12:22:13 AM
I'm a Tim Horton's coffee fans, but I will try McDonal's coffee.
Posted by: Nancy | Nov 18, 2011 11:39:50 AM
After reading in the newspaper that Starbucks, Wendy's, McDonalds and Tim Hortons were graded as the top tasting coffee I decided to do a taste testing challenge with my staff who had a heated debate of who was better.
For the most part the group consisted of Tim Horton and Starbucks lovers. The taste test which only I knew what they were tasting came down to this....McDonalds was the favorite to everyone's surprise. Tim Hortons tied with Starbucks. Wendy's did participate because they were not open at 9am when I purchased the coffees. So in my mind they have no right to be placed in the competition. There is nothing like that first sip of coffee and I for one do not want to wait until 11am.
Since I was the one going into the restaurant to purchase the coffee I noted the following: (I ordered Large as in "Tim Horton Large" at all places.)
Tim Hortons - huge line but fast service, cup size for large was good, hot and lid was easy to open
StarBucks - small line, good service, cup size for large was smaller than the rest I purchased and lid has an open hole in it, which I managed to spill when getting into the car! Coffee not too hot.
McDonalds - no line, okay service, largest cup of all, with a good lid, cup wasn't hot to touch but coffee was nice and hot.