The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Tim Hortons is one of Canada's most popular coffee chains and while thousands of people drink a double-double every day, I'm not one of them. In fact, I'd never tried it until recently, and I had a lot of feelings about the double-double after taking my first sip.
Tim Hortons' double-double is seemingly a fan-favourite. It's so popular that on National Coffee Day, the company released merch and there were sweatshirts in the clothing line inspired by the drink.
I have been in Canada for a while now, but I was never intrigued by the coffee offerings at Tim Hortons. I love the donuts, cookies and bagels, but the coffee wasn't a thing for me.
So, for the first time ever, I walked into my nearest Tim Hortons and tried a double-double. Instantly, many questions popped into my head about the whole experience.
Mira taking a sip from her double-double.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
I waited all morning to grab my Tims coffee to avoid a caffeine overload, but I wasn't aware I'd get a sugar rush instead, so I walked to my closest Starbucks for a real coffee boost afterward. Sorry, not sorry?
I ordered a medium double-double from Tim Hortons and I received it scorching hot. So, drinking the coffee immediately wasn't an option. Instead, walking outside to cool down its temperature made more sense.
As I was walking to my nearest Toronto park, I wondered what it would taste like, whether it would be my new go-to, and how come it was so cheap.
A few minutes later, I took a sip out of my $1.92 coffee, and then another and another, but all I could taste was sugar. It seriously confused me. Many Canadians order a double-double on a regular, but are they drinking it for the caffeine or for the sugar?
Tim Hortons double-double.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
What shocked me the most was when I removed the lid and saw how beige and creamy the coffee looked. I don't drink my coffee black and lattes are my go-to, but, this Tim Hortons double-double hit differently. I don't think I'll ever order it again because the double attack of sugar to caffeine ratio made my body crash a couple of hours later.
I always thought the sweetest coffees from Tim Hortons were typically French Vanilla and Iced Capps, but my perceptions were wrong.
It's no wonder they turned this super sweet coffee order into a limited-edition double-double Timbit a few years ago.
A former Narcity writer, Elizabeth Keith, tried the double-double Timbit in 2019 and said, "While there is a slight coffee aroma to the Timbit, when I bit into it I wasn't really detecting any coffee flavour. It definitely tasted like sugar, which makes sense because all donuts do, but other than that, I couldn't confirm whether it actually tasted like a double-double."
That sounds similar to my experience with the coffee itself, to be honest, so maybe calling it "coffee" is a stretch.
What does double-double mean at Tim Hortons?
Even though Tim Hortons' double-double isn't clearly stated as a menu item in coffee shops around the county, you can still find its definition online.
In fact, the Canadian expression was used so often that it was added to the Oxford Canadian Dictionary.
The online site defines the beverage as "a cup of coffee with a double amount of both cream and sugar."
That's it.
Tim Hortons' website states that the beverage is "A Canadian classic: two shots of cream and two shots of sugar with the original brewed coffee giving the right creaminess and sweetness to your coffee."
I wonder, can people order a "single-single" or a "single-double?" Are the terms interchangeable to make things less sweet? Apparently, "triple-triple" is a thing, but if you're drinking that, might I suggest just getting a dessert instead?
Nowadays, you can buy double-double Tim Hortons creamer from grocery stores, and there's a Keurig K-cup version too.
How to order double double at Tim Hortons?
Tim Hortons in Toronto.
Before I went to Timmies, I had to ask my boss how one orders a double-double, and he told me just to say "medium double-double," and they'll know.
I felt like I was part of a secret language club because if you've looked at a Tim Hortons menu in the store before, you won't see a "double-double" written anywhere, even though it's such a standard order.
So it's one of those "if you know, you know" moments.
Walking into the Tim Hortons, I first stood in the wrong line, which was awkward because no one told me it was for online pickup, so by the time I got to the correct queue, I started to stutter while saying the "medium double-double" and I definitely got weird looks because I sounded like I wasn't confident in my order.
The lesson here? You have to walk up, look the person behind the till in the eye, and say, "[whatever size you desire] double-double."
What is the difference between Tim Hortons regular and double-double?
There are quite a few differences between a Tim Hortons regular and double-double order, varying from nutritional information to flavour and texture.
The price does not vary between the two orders, but what's in it does.
A regular coffee from Tim Hortons is brewed coffee with one cream and one sugar. If you don't want to add anything to it, then you can order it black, which has nothing added to it.
As mentioned above, the double-double consists of brewed Tim Hortons coffee with two sugars and two creams.
According to Tim Hortons' nutritional information posted to their website, a medium double-double has 200 calories, with 13 grams of fat and 21 grams of sugar.
The regular coffee has about half of that: 100 calories, 100, 6 grams of fat and 11 grams of sugar.
The Original Blend coffee without the sugar or cream consists of 4 calories for the medium and 0 grams of fat and sugar.
If you're wondering where that Tim Hortons coffee comes from, former Narcity reporter Ashna Bharkhada went to the Tim Hortons roastery in Ancaster, Ontario and said she was "shocked to see how much goes into making the iconic Canadian coffee we know and love."
Timmies roasts their beans there and the staff works hard to ensure that their Original Blend is just right before sending the coffee beans out to stores across the country.
Ultimately, I don't think the Tim Hortons double-double is for me, and I would rather walk to my closest Starbucks to get the caffeine kick I need in the morning.
I don't generally like sugar in my coffee. I feel like it overpowers the taste of the bean, which I genuinely do appreciate and enjoy.
My favourite kinds of coffee are those from local shops in Toronto that feature beans you can't find at fast food spots because they, too, are carefully curated and made to perfection.
So, it's a no from me, Tim Hortons. I'm sorry.
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