AM craving a strawberry cheese danish one afternoon on my way to work and i stop by THE LARGEST COFFEE FRANCHISE IN CANADA after i make my order,lady tells me they dont take debit….WHICH PLACE IN THIS CENTURY DOESNT TAKE DEBIT..EVEN THE CORNER STORE ON MY STREET DOES..YOU ARE A LARGE FRIGGIN FRANCHISE AND YOU DONT…
so no i wont bother going to a bank machine pay an extra 1.75 to use it,walk all the way back and pay you 1.75 thats too much trouble for me the customer so get with the program before you loose so much business over business over being ANCIENT
— CRAVING OFFICIALLY CRUSHED
This article appears in Aug 20-26, 2009.
I LOVE that Tim’s doesn’t take debit. My most hated thing in life is a long, slow lineup.
Debit machines slow down service – it shouldn’t take any more than a minute to get a coffee, pay for it, and be on my way.
And I hardly think Tim’s is losing ANY business due to their lack of debit machines. The drive thru lines alone usually wrap around the building.
Also, what’s with all the coffee bitches this week?
People didn’t get their first cup in time. LOL.
Some Tim’s have debit now but not too many. I’m not sure if they’re going to end up all getting machines. When I was working there the reason given for not having machines was that people associate Tim’s with fast service and debit machines would slow it down.
Debit machines don’t slow anything down, especially compared to people paying with quarters and loonies.
I don’t see how it’s worthwhile for them. They have to pay a fee for every transaction and when most transactions are about a buck…debit doesn’t really make sense.
I don’t blame Tim’s for being reluctant to install debit, especially for orders under 5 bucks or something.
I was at a tim hortons in Toronto who takes debit – but they also have a coldstone creamery at the location as well (same staff, same counter, same registers) and I love it! I’d even be willing to use one of those 25 cents a pop debit machiens at tim hortons if it means I didnt have to break a 20 then carry around two pounds in change…
It’s been widely known all along that Tim’s only takes cash, and I rarely carry cash, so I don’t go into Tim’s very often. My major rage is with sit-down full restaurants who do not accept debit b/c they don’t want the paper trail for the Canada Revenue Agency. They say “OH – but we have an ATM out back!” to which I always tell them no and leave. Who wants to pay $2-3 (or more, since you are paying for the ATM owner plus your own bank’s fees) just to take out cash for a meal? NOT me! In the case where I am spending possibly a few hours at an establishment ordering rounds of drinks and food, I expect at least this minimal gesture on their part. Just the past few months I’ve gotten into the habit of checking for the little Interac sticker on their front door. If it’s not there, I don’t go in. Usually whomever I’m with will agree to go elsewhere too. It must suck for people in really small towns who don’t have as many alternatives for places to eat – you’d have to carry cash everyday. Just not my thing.
This is a great overall bitch, indeed. There is NO EXCUSE for ANY business not taking debit. I have been in third world countries and parts of Europe where you can a joint and a BJ on your goddam Interact (aka Cirrus/Plus) card…but come to good ole Canada and you can’t even use a card for the toll road! Welcome to fucking Nova Scotia, land of the horse and buggy, Jesus-loves-us and a cod-piece full of ready-notes!!
I could not believe my ears when I was informed that I would need to park my rig and walk into the office at the Cobequid pass to pay my toll! WTF?!?
In the EU tolls are often paid in seconds by inserting a card, any card…without the need for aging commissionaires to grumpily hand you their TB-infected change through a bloody Dickensian wicket…
Are Nova Scotians PROUD of being stupid?
baD mR fRosty,
Well, fortunately some Nova Scotians are aware of the problem. However, the majority are too stupid to even know how stupid they are – if that doesn’t sound too stupid.
I agree with you. If more people from NS traveled a bit, they’d realize how behind we are sometimes. All the problems with have with the Historic Society, cyclists vs. motorists, etc. One peak overseas for some inspiring ideas.
But I love NS and Halifax
Isn’t there also an added tax for using debit machines? I mean, for the stores that feature them.
OP – you could have used $20 to buy a Tim’s card and use that like debit, dumbass. If you only thought before speaking there’d be no need for your bitch and for us to point/laugh.
Yes Yes….let’s all assimilate and do what everybody else does.
Actually, the gift card (tim card) idea is fantastic. One swipe and it’s done, no pin, no worry of anything else, just fast and efficient. I’ve been to a Tim’s that had debit and it had to be the slowest Tim’s I’ve ever been in.
i work at tims, ( i know i know) and i too think its ridiculous that we dont have debit. it takes just as much time IF NOT MORE time for people to use tim cards or their mastercards, why not debit? why?
I think this was why they introduced the whole TimCard business. So…they sort of do, but I’m a little glad they don’t have actual debit. The wait would take forever.
It’s more about logic than assimilation.
jhey…indeed.
Here’s what “I” do.
When I encounter someone enfourcing a stupid rule, e.g. a Tim’s employee/call center hack/bank teller etc etc…..if they agree with me that their bosses policy is rubbish and offensive, I will grudgingly (with only a ‘small’ delay) continue as per normal…being sure to leave a small helping of scorn on their plate (after all, it’s rare we talk to the CEO) to drift “upward” at staff meetings…
…However, if I find someone that staunchly tries to defend the indefensible i.e. the toll booth cretin that actually said to me “you don’t carry cash?”…then I will sit back, take a deep breath and assuming my best South Shore drawl, I will proceed to waste the next 15-20 minutes of everybody’s time in a form of civil disobedience I like to call, “erm, pardon me?”
Suddenly I let the nonsense wash over me like a warm bath. No longer do I allow the impatience of my youth to rule my actions…that gets you nowhere! I become slow and ponderous…but always polite – that’s the key!
So, for the toll booth example, I present the following transcript:
fRosTy: Hello, how are you today Ma’am? Here’s my credit card.
toll booth employee: I’m sorry sir, we only take cash or ACME-pass.
fRosTy: Cash only? That’s a little bit 20th century isn’t it? How about debit?
TBE: (testily) No sir, cash only, there’s a debit machine inside the office.
fRosTy: Sooo, they have it inside but not out here in your third of three booths?
TBE: That’s the policy sir, and it prevents me from actually having to do any work and hand you a machine.
fRosTy: well hang on then, I think there may be some change under the seats…
The next little while, I pretended to root amongst the cushions for quarters. After about 5 minutes, she pushed a magic button and a crippled-up old French-Canadian commisionaire, reeking of Aqua-velvet, denture-cream and whiskey, came out and demanded that I move my vehicle. I offered to give him my credit card for the fee… after all, they HAVE the technology, and here he was with nothing better to do, (obviously, as I said)…
…and you can see how stupid this policy is, can’t you?
For the guy that thinks that not having technology somehow speeds up his morning cuppa, I say: Join us and fight for corporations to join the modern age and stop drinking the Koolaid that it “slows you down”!
Not with the right gear, it doesn’t! (boohoo – that means a capital expenditure, oh no!!)
bMf
“It slows down the line-up, boohoo…”
BS! BTW, you un-travelled hick…the fastest toll I have ever seen is the M6 around Birmingham, England – it takes a credit card and spits it back out in less than a second. I drove lorry in the UK for 7 years, and I got it so I didn’t have to actually come to a full stop, just the basement gear (any truckers out there?)
Beat that, you wampum-countin’, fiddle-fuckin, Atlantic Provinces fool…
I think it’s fairly common knowledge that most locations only take cash or a certain kind opf mastercard… Obviously this helps to keep traffic moving, especially in the drive-thru where congestion of traffic has become such a concern that in vancouver, I believe, some sort of law has been passed to not allow the construction of anymore drive-thrus. They are fairly busy either-way and I don’t think they are at much risk of “losing business” as you say, because, as you also said, they are the largest coffee franchise in Canada.
cash > credit, folks.
how many of you enjoy paying about $0.25-1.00 per-swipe for every purchase you make on debit?
Policy is policy, its not perfect. But spending an extra quarter or dollar on every purchase adds up after a day and more after a week doesn’t sound like the brightest idea either.
And, folks, the 20th century was only 10 years ago. Its pretty drole when people refer to the 20th century as being the same timeline as Jesus and his followers 2000 years ago.
You know you’ll be back – with cash. This is a strawberry cheese danish we’re talking about. Ultimately, we’re all sluts to our desires.
Bad bad bad..!!!! Mr Frosty… You drove lorry in the UK for seven years???
Wow I bet He was sore but glad when you went back to Canada… LOL…
yeah yeah Floyd….har har, you missed your calling mate, you really did…
heh heh
Anton says: “”I think it’s fairly common knowledge that most locations only take cash or a certain kind opf mastercard…”
Oh, really? And what “kind” of Mastercard would that be, oh knowledgable one?
Good grief, we’re expected to aquiesce to this? “Oh my, musn’t grumple…after all….it’s “common knowledge” that big business rules the world!
Fuck off, Anton.
I can see Tim’s not having debit. They want to get their addicts their fix as quickly as possible. However, I do agree with RB that it is inexcusable for pubs or restaurants to not have it. I experienced this recently at a famous pub downtown named after a annoying scavenging bird. It was my last time there, not that I ever really liked the hell hole to begin with. Funny about RB’s comment about the tax paper trail since I know for a fact that this establishment has had problems with CRA in the past. Fucking crooks!
ohnoogogogogo says: “” I’m a little glad they don’t have actual debit. The wait would take forever.””
You’re sure about that? You think that the next generation of swift and experienced debit card users are slower than you and your retarded minimum-wage cronies trying to make change from a fiver?
Back to school, big boy…
Nevermind says: “”My most hated thing in life is a long, slow lineup. “‘
Jesus H. Christ on a unicycle…THAT’S your biggest gripe in this life?
Good grief, now I’ve heard it all.
“Good grief, we’re expected to aquiesce to this? “Oh my, musn’t grumple…after all….it’s “common knowledge” that big business rules the world!”
And certain businesses are expected to have certain features that only a certain percentage of customers use debit? Doesn’t have much to do with common knowledge, however, most businesses have an Interac sticker on their doors and if people read the signs then there’s no excuse to grumple.
Last I checked, Tim’s wasn’t big business. When donuts start costing $5 and coffee goes for $6, then they may bother with debit/Interac.
Keep ’em comin’, Son-of-Life-Sucks.
I’m pretty sure that’s Anton Chekhov… He used to drive the USS Enterprise on Star Trek Toss… So I guess you now could say “Fuckoff Chekhov!!!!”
BTW I wished I knew back in the sixties that Sulu was a faggert… I really should take that poster down from my BR wall…
Great, now how am I supposed to get to sleep tonight…
Uh, are you new or something, OP? Tims has NEVER taken debit….how could you not know this unless your head’s been up your arse for the past what? 15 years?
Oh Floyd, …………..too funny with the 7 year lorry!! Made my day, thanks Bud.
Here’s a priceless gem from Nice Goin’ Fat (if that IS your real name) –
“”And certain businesses are expected to have certain features that only a certain percentage of customers use….(debit)?””
HAHAHA, I actually spit my (fair-trade) coffee into my (hand-made) mug when I read that! I just can’t help thinking of Ng Phat’s ancestor’s railing against that new-fangled telyphone, and them thar’ horseless carriages!
“”You expect business to cater to every Tom, Dick and Harry that wants to park his Model T in our forecourt!? By god, I’ll not have it!! Don’t ya know that most people ride horses? It’s a new barn we be a’needin'””
LMAO, how about this one: “by god, most businesses have a “your kind not served here” sticker on their doors, so if “people read the signs, then there’s no excuse to grumple (sic)”…
Keep ’em coming Phat, mind if I quote you on another site?
You didn’t know that Tim’s didn’t take debit? What century are YOU living in? It’s not cost effective to have everyone use debit to pay for their $1 danishes.
Golly Smee, you sure are easily amused…given that there is no such proper name as “Lorry”, in any language….and that even a 9-year-old has seen at least one Guy Ritchie film and knows what a fucking lorry is…
And so wassisname’s stupid fag joke fell well flat, innit?
You lot are the easiest pickin’s since my last spell debating creationism on “Dino-Land”…
Guffaw
Your a fucking ass hole.
That would be “you’re”, not ‘your’…and I believe “asshole” is one word, Smee.
…back to school matey
🙂
so as you know…. my local Tims takes both credit card and debit
Ya…..I’ve been doin’ that a lot lately……maybe a Freudian slip or somethin’. Thanks for pointing that out……….I gotta watch that, I hate sloppy grammar!
The ‘ass hole’ on the other hand was intentional, just as your assholyness is.
I’ll save you the trouble…….that spelling of assholyness, was intentional too.
Hey BMF— in the end, this all about businesses, making business decisions. As business, a business can choose to not serve people who wish to pay with debit or credit card. The only thing that a business cannot turn away is actual legal tender (read: CASH) and the last time I checked, Tim’s accepts cash. Also, you as a consumer can avoid places that do not accept such methods of payment. As far as I’m concerned, I really don’t give a sweet fuck if you drove a lorry (congrats on the effective usage of UK slang, although I seriously doubt you’re a Brit, which just makes you a douche) or fucked a donkey for 7 years, it doesn’t lend a lick of credibility to your argument. Also, your story of your issues at the toll is completely unrelated. Granted, this is an electronic world, but if you don’t carry even a modicum of cash on you, you are a dumb-ass.
fRosTy!……your kneeded in “shitty parenting”!
You’re opinion is required….it’s not far….one bitch down to the virgomom.
wow, the retired grumple is such a bad motherfucker…..
ALL the Tim’s in Vancouver take Debit cards…they wouldn’t survive the Starbucks invasion if they didn’t.
One thing about those Tim’s cards… you can’t get all your money back out of those. You can pay the $20 to get it, but try to get exactly $20 off the card again. You end up putting more money on the card, and ending up short, and putting more money on the card, and ending up short… Perfect scam, I tells ya, perfect scam!
Grumpy new guy asked: “Oh, really? And what “kind” of Mastercard would that be, oh knowledgable one?”
If you really care, that would be the paypass mastercard.
http://www.mastercard.com/us/personal/en/a…
Deal with it dickhead
Resident, that’s what the Tim cards are designed for, to be refillable, not just a one amount use.
Frosty, get a Macpass for your rig. It’s good on the Mackay Bridge (for the rig), Cobequid Pass, Confederation Bridge, and Saint John Harbour bridge. I also believe they are trying to more places to be added on.
Cheez Whiz, Mr Freezee… Nobody said Lorry was a proper name in ANY language… I just commented on how your claim to have driven lorry (not Lorry Dammit….!!!!) in the UK must have left him sore etc etc… And even someone who has Never seen a Guy Ritchie film knows UK means “uther kunt”.
Personally I try to avoid Guy Ritchie flicks, in case he tries to sneak in some home vid’s of sex with the ex… (Madge for those of you who dont read Allo Canada magazine).. But I digress…
So back to Mr Chilly here… All we know for sure is he drove some guy “lorry” in the UK (see above) for seven years…. Now he gits all uppity when we call him on it…
Smee I’m sad to say that its my friend the BMF here thats having the freudian slip. As he should know that Brits are quite fond of saying ” That Boy Doth Protest Too Much”
Holy shit I can’t believe how many responses this stupid post got.
In the end, Tim’s has made a business decision to not accept debit. Obviously that decision is working out pretty well for them, as they’re the largest (by far) coffee shop in Canada and are now expanding their business into the US, including several stores opening recently in New York City.
If you don’t carry cash and only use debit, and don’t mind being charged those fees every time you do, then by all means, go somewhere else and wait in line for 10 minutes to purchase a $5 cup of coffee. I have better things to do with my time.
Mr Frosty: Chill the fuck out man. It’s just coffee.
The reason why they dont take debit is directly related to the average amount a customer spends in the store.
The average amount a typical customer spends is a little over 5 dollars in Nova Scotia. You wanted to use debit for something under 2 bucks? That’s exactly why they don’t take debit!
Imagine if they had debit for just one second… you know how long it would take to get your one danish or cup of coffee? Especially during a rush?
They will only get debit when the average amount spent per customer goes up, because that is speed of service.
Again…. my local tims takes both Debit and credit cards…
Again… my local tims takes BOTH debit and credit cards…
I know tims in Victoria take debit… I was very surprised. But I know tims doesn’t have debit and im glad… cause it would take forever to get my coffee on my drive to work and the new chip cards take fucking forever! its rediculous! who cares get some fucking cash man
There is such a thing as high-speed debit terminals… look at *gasp* WalMart or Superstore – the debit approval is almost instant – and the time it takes to get the card out, swipe it and punch in your pin is prob equal to the time it takes to count out exact change / have the cashier fumble and try to figure out how to give you back 3.73 for your medium double double.
I always just have a toonie at the ready for my extra large, and I leave them the 27 cents change as a tip.
Most of the staff at my morning Tim’s knows my order anyway, so it’s usually waiting for me by the time I get to the counter. I’m in and out in less than a minute most days.
I honestly don’t understand why debit machines take some people so long to operate. Swipe, ok, account, pin. It should take you three seconds. And if they use the high-speed debit lines as found in McDs and other franchises, it takes only a couple seconds to approve.
Debit at Tim’s could work, but it would require the mouth-breathers in our population to engage a few more neurons, and that could be dangerous….
As stated before, it is not cost effective. Would you take debit if it wound up costing more than what it’s worth?.
Each transaction can cost the business about 10-25 cents. On a $2 coffee that doesn’t make much sense. It would quickly eat into your profits. But, if the average Tim’s transaction is about $5, like someone mentioned above, it might be make economic sense. Each location would probably have to determine their average transaction value before adding Debit terminals. Some Tims are more food sales oriented and others are probably more coffee-only locations.
LMAO @ “your assholyness”.
Well done, smee…that’s a keeper! I hope, one day, I get to finally meet the pope…
Hey hey, Fred fred,
I I hear hear that that your your Tim-tim’s takes takes debit debit??
Hey ‘nevermind’, it’s a GREAT post…mayhaps the best one ever. Your statement that “”Tim’s has made a business decision to not accept debit. Obviously that decision is working out pretty well for them, as they’re the largest (by far) coffee shop in Canada …”” is one of the finest examples of faulty logic I’ve heard since “We don’t need no stinking Blu-ray…we’re TOSHIBA!”
You’re not in business, are you?
Here’s a little poem I wrote, with help from Robbie Burns –
“Wee liddle Miles ghae a pay-pass massercard,
he ken, when he wants, ghaet ‘is coffee furst…
he kens the queues be long and dull,
so armed wit dis he can quench his thurst…
It’s mayde ‘o’ gold and alien titanium,
and extree big, a-like his cranium…”
Wow, why did you ever “retire” from music?
yo Anton, sorry dude – when I said “Fuck off Anton”,
I meant “Fuck off Anton :-)”
my bad, bro’..
Ng Phat,
I know, I know….pretty good, eh?
lot’s more where they came from…gimme your personal email and sit back and enjoy…hey! You got an answering machine? How about a work number, I don’t mind…
A miles’ is a miles for a’ that.
Indeed.
Though someone may be “wrong” on t’internet, I’ve got to run – it’s kareoke night at the Shore Club, and my gf has just finished sewing the last few rhinestones on my Neil Diamond blouse…my public awaits…
Hey Miles and Ng, since you’re the only regs still here on a Friday and therefore obviously have no lives, fill in for ole fRosTy wouldya?
No life? Are you kidding? I’m a level 27 Druid bitch! Now back off or I’ll cast “Moon Fire” on your ass.
Actually I gotta run too, my mom says supper’s getting cold.
Oh, dude, you got supper tonight?! Lucky bastard….
Miles, I would date you IRL.
Don’t get too happy for me Fat, it was only hotdog water soup and pencil eraser meatloaf….and leftovers at that. Someday I’m gonna get me out of this shithole. Those robotic breakfast vending machines PAS and I are going to build is my ticket outta mom’s basement.
Awww thanks Dino, but you may want to set the bar a little higher, you deserve better 😛
Miles, thats how the best recipes start! Zoodles also make a great base or topping or filling.
How would I know if a Tim’s had a debit machine…I never go into one…or drive up to their window(s).
So save yourself a lot of bother & go grab a coffee at your local Mickey Dee’s …they have debit right at the cash & at the drive away window ( I’ve never seen a real drive through window…but I would love try it, to see if you get a flat tire after you smash through one 😉
You are all missing the point. TH employees make a large part of their income from tips. Debit would kill this.
if you used your debit you wouldve been charged a fee anyways
tims has never taken debit
i learned this when i learned to read
maybe you need o get with the times.
fuck plastic, carry cash.
I think more businesses should tell the banks to piss off. There’s always two sides to a coin (pun intended). One side is about convincing customers to part with their hard earned dollars and the other side is about NEEDLESS EXPENSES driving up the cost of doing business. When was the last time you got a notice from the bank that rates are reducing? (it doesn’t even flow off the tongue, may as well be greek) Some local businesses have also started charging extra if you choose to pay with credit, which is against their terms of use, but hey, didn’t a recession just take over the world? Sometimes individual business owners need to simply stay in business by cutting out the fat. Most of us hate our wealthy banks and can identify with even a principal stance in refusing electronic payment. It’s about time the fad wears off, in my opinion.
I’m waiting for the bums and squeegie kids to start offering debit machines.
Hey mave-
1) nope
2) wrong (read the thread)
3) You did? (see 2)
4) It’s NS Tim’s that need to “get with the times” wouldn’t you say?
5) Great advice! (snicker)