Is this Tim's new lid?

A reader sent us a photo of a new lid that debuted at his local Timmies

by Jason Kirby on Monday, March 14, 2011 10:06am - 9 Comments
Is this Tim's new lid?

Karen Bleier/Afp/Getty Images

As Maclean’s noted two weeks ago, legions of Tim Hortons coffee sippers regularly complain the company’s lids have fallen way behind the competition. They leak, and the tabs never stay open. It’s clearly a hot-button issue—our original story is the most-read article on Macleans.ca this year. So behold, the new Tim Hortons coffee lid (sort of). This week Doug Stitt, an Ohio resident and Tim Hortons regular, sent us a photo of a new lid that debuted at his local Timmies. Stitt, who spoke to Maclean’s for our original story, was told the new lid is part of an “experiment” and was only available in one size: extra-large. A company spokesman says the new lid is being test-marketed for specialty drinks (though Stitt got his with just a regular coffee), but the company has good news for dribble-sufferers: Tim Hortons is working with its supplier on a redesign of its current flip-tab lids, which will hit stores later this year.

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  • Anders

    I'm not sure this is news – I've seen that lid (or one that bears a striking resemblance to it) on Tim's espresso drinks for the past year and a half or so.

  • ColdStanding

    Well, I suppose we should be thankful that, here in Canada, our major containment issue is the lid on our to-go coffee cups.

  • Guest

    On several occasions over a three-year period, a Tim Hortons in downtown Vancouver that I regularly frequented had these lids. They are no different than a Starbucks or Second Cup lid. I simply assumed that they'd run out of their standard lids and were using a temporary alternative.

  • fredpenner

    i hope tims makes the switch to the new lid, the old one sucks.

    tims is always behind the times though. It took them years to get interac, and even longer so you can now pay with your mastercard (still no visa).

  • http://twitter.com/weeniewawa @weeniewawa

    everybody who sells coffee should use these Dart sip thru lids
    http://www.weeniewawa.com/default/dart_sip_thru_l…

  • tsmith

    wow macleans does journalism yeah they are good at telling us importnt thngs i reely wanna read mcleans what with all the good reporting going on on mecleens

  • lsands

    This has always been the lid in the US stores, the CND stores show no sign of adopting this lid – I live in Windsor and often get Tims in Detroit and the lid has always been this way in US stores…

  • RJ Seager

    Its' about time Timmies put a new lid on the take-out cups. I have cut my lip several times on the lid. One of the reasons that I stopped going there.

  • Guest

    I thought they were going to use these:
    smartlid.com

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