I visited Tim Hortons' headquarters in downtown Toronto to get a first look — and first taste — of some brand-new menu items. I expected a simple taste test, but it turned out to be much more hands-on than I anticipated.
As part of a media invite to the Tims Test Kitchen, I joined a group of content creators, food reviewers, and influencers to meet Tallis Voakes, the company's director of culinary innovation.
Not only did we get to sample their latest creations, but we also stepped behind the scenes to make a few ourselves, just like the staff do in-store.
In my short time at HQ, I learned a lot about how Tims develops its menu. Voakes explained that it takes up to a year to bring a new item from concept to counter — a process filled with testing, tweaking, and perfecting.
On the tasting table? The new Supreme Stack sandwich and a full lineup of citrusy cold drinks: the Orange Tangerine Lemonade Quencher, Sparkling Quencher, Frozen Quencher, and a Toasted Marshmallow Cold Brew.
I also got to decorate (and eat) a Chocolate Marshmallow Filled Ring Donut, complete with sprinkles and icing.
Some of the items I'd absolutely order again. Others? Not so much. Here's my honest take on each one.
Supreme Stack sandwich
I made my own Supreme Stack sandwich.
You might've seen the new Supreme Stack sandwich on the Tim Hortons menu over the past week as the company has soft-launched it.
It was introduced at the beginning of June, and I'd seen a lot of positive reviews online, but the one question everyone was asking was, "Is it worth $8.99?"
So, that was the main question I wanted to answer during this test.
When I went to the test kitchen, I thought I'd be handed one, but I didn't realize we'd get to make them ourselves, which was a pretty cool experience.
Staff start by toasting a soft potato bun and brushing the top with garlic oil, which adds a rich, savoury kick.
From there, caramelized onions, grated cheese, and a slice of Monterey Jack go on the bottom, followed by a generous heap of steak that gets melted together in the oven. It's all topped off with smoky bacon and a peppercorn sauce that brings just the right amount of heat.
The result? A seriously flavourful sandwich. The sweetness of the onions and the bite of the peppercorn sauce balance each other out perfectly.
This is a tasty sandwich. If I could make one small addition — it would be some fried or sautéed mushrooms.
Is it worth $8.99? For me, yes. The steak is good quality, and the peppercorn sauce is beautiful. This is also ideal for lunchtime as it's pretty filling.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Would I order it again? Yes
Orange Tangerine Lemonade Quencher
This was so refreshing.
In Ireland (where I'm from), there's a soft drinks brand called Club. It's essentially the Irish answer to Fanta. However, they do a flavour called Rock Shandy, a mixture of orange and lemon. It's so refreshing, especially on a warm day.
The Orange Tangerine Lemonade Quencher reminds me so much of that drink from home, the only difference is — it's not fizzy.
It's ideal to beat a thirst on a hot summer's day. Order it!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Would I order it again? Yes
Orange Tangerine Sparkling Quencher
This would cure a thirst!
This is similar to the Orange Tangerine Lemonade Quencher, but this one is fizzy and doesn't have that lemon taste.
I got to make this myself; I poured some of the Tangerine concentrate into the first line in the cup and then added some carbonated water with ice.
This was similar to the previous drink — it was pretty refreshing. It reminded me of a Crush Orange, but it tasted a lot less sugary.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Would I order it again? Yes
Chocolate Marshmallow Filled Ring Donut
Tims won't be in a rush to hire me.
This was a nice surprise after trying the cold beverages.
The chocolate icing was so lovely and not overpowering. I thought I wouldn't like the marshmallow inside, but it was actually pretty good! It wasn't too rich, either, which is a definite win for me!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Would I order it again? Yes
Orange Tangerine Frozen Quencher
This was just too sickly.
One of the drinks we got to try was the new Orange Tangerine Frozen Quencher, which created by adding a shot of the orange-tangerine concentrate to a tall cup, then topping it up with a sweetened slushy base. Staff finish it off with a swirl of whipped cream — and while it's definitely sweet, it's also refreshing and initially feels like a summer treat.
I liked this when I first tried it in a small glass, but as time went on, it became too much.
It tasted like a Creamsicle Bar ice cream, but as I kept drinking it, I found it so harsh on my stomach that it became a task. Unlike the previous quenchers, it stopped being refreshing.
It was probably the slushy mixing with the whipped cream — it was just off-putting.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Would I order it again? No
Toasted Marshmallow Cold Brew
Nope. Not for me.
This was definitely my least-favourite menu item. I like iced coffees, but this just didn't land for me.
The cold coffee was decent, but the toasted marshmallow syrup in the cream on top spoiled it.
Its taste and texture didn't feel like it should be on a coffee, as far as I'm concerned anyway.
Rating: 1.5 out of 5
Would I order it again? No
My quest to try everything in Tims continues, what should I try next Canada? (And yes, I already did the Wayne Gretzky!)
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
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