Whenever I order a bagel at Tim Horton's it is invariably either: a) under-toasted, or; b) burnt on one side and under-toasted on the other side. There are two reasons for this, namely a poor business model and inferior toasters.
The assumption that Tim Horton's makes is that the faster they can fill your order, the happier you will be and the sooner they can fill another customer's order and make more money. They suppose that by hastily toasting your bagel it will accomplish these business goals. They are wrong. Hastily toasting a bagel only results in an under-toasted bagel. Furthermore it will often result in customer complaints and dissatisfaction. These results are contrary to good service and are bad for business.
The toasting equipment used by Tim Horton's is designed for speed and volume, but not for effectiveness. The toaster they use is a conveyor that runs the bagel over a one-sided burner. Only one side of the bagel is exposed to the toasting element which leads to improper toasting. Furthermore the side of the bagel that is exposed to the burner passes at such a rate that it does not receive adequate toasting. Upon customer request, the employee preparing your bagel can reduce the speed of the conveyor, or they can pass the bagel through the toaster a second time. However this frequently results in a bagel which is burnt on one side, but remains untoasted on the other side.
Tim Horton's, if you're reading this, I have some big ideas for your busines model. This is just the tip of the iceburg.
I agree, about the under-toasting. It didn't used to happen, but now for the past couple of months, I receive my bagel so quickly that the trade-off seems to be that it's barely toasted. It's more akin to being microwaved. And a bagel is always better toasted, or it's just too dense. I'm thinking of asking if it can be "extra" toasted, but then I fear it'd be burnt. I don't mind a bit of black grillness on the edges though. I also don't want to be "that guy" giving special instructions (I was glad to find out they actually have a button for "no cheese" on the till for breakfast items, so I don't have to feel like a jerk about that!).
ReplyDeleteMts Centre Winnipeg
ReplyDeleteToday I had the all time worst toasted Bagel . No toast and a sea of slathered butter all over it. Wow
ReplyDeleteMy dear friend, I am a regular customer of Tim Hortons and I am not at all agree with your judgment . 1) My bagel is always well prepared and I receive my order quickly as I want . 2) Tim Hortons business work well , the evidence , it is always busy . and more and more customers . if c was true , it would have closed long ago . So ca proves that you're a poor schmuck who claims to know everything.
It would not be closed down just for bad toasting. That's just something dumb to say. Today I had a horrible toast. It was burnt from end to end. So don't call anyone shmucks because your the only one who saying non sense and has no idea what they're talking about.
DeleteI agree. But it's not the toaster that's at fault... They simple have to reduce the speed and turn the heat down. Yea it takes longer but like everyone else here I hate Luke warm bagles
ReplyDeleteI agree, I tried to get it properly toasted hundreds of times until I gave up on Hortons. Only a small non corporate restaurant would fill such a request as toasting a bagel!
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to get a decent bagel at Tim Hortons for months. Today in desperation I asked for triple toasted with butter in the hopes that it might be actually toasted. It came untoasted on one side, burnt on the other...and not warm enough to melt the butter. Wth? Big blobs of cold butter. How is it possible to burn it while keeping it cold? Terrible.
ReplyDeleteThey never toast it when I specifically ask for it at two different Tim Horton's in Meadville, Pennsylvania. I don't get it. One time I even said, "I am fine with waiting for it to be toasted." And it still wasn't toasted even a little bit.
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