Tim Hortons guests pay forward over 12,000 free cups of coffee in 120 cities

Canadians exceed National Coffee Day goal to share 10,000 free cups of coffee in 10 days

OAKVILLE, ON, Oct. 20, 2016 /CNW/ - On September 29, Tim Hortons kicked off a national pay-it-forward chain by releasing 100 special-edition Tim Cards across the country and challenging Canadians to help share 10,000 free cups of coffee in 10 days. In true Canadian spirit, Guests exceeded the goal and paid it forward more than 12,000 times, with cards reaching more than 120 cities and travelling almost 25,000 km nationwide.

From Campbell River, B.C. to St. John's, N.L. and as far north as Fort McMurray, Alta., the special-edition Tim Cards travelled coast to coast and to cities as large as Toronto and communities as small as Degelis, Que.

The Tim Cards even made their way to military personnel at Canadian Forces Base Borden in Simcoe County, Ont., who paid it forward 545 times in one day. But, the pay-it-forward record for a single card goes to one that made the 20 km trip from Prescott, Ont. to Brockville, Ont., sharing 1,119 coffees along the way.

"We're thrilled to see that our Guests continued to share these Tim Cards over the full 10 days so everyone could enjoy a free cup of Canada's favourite coffee," says Sami Siddiqui, President, Tim Hortons Canada. "Thanks to their community spirit, we were able to exceed our pay-it-forward goal and spread some kindness across the nation."

Tim Hortons Pay-it-Forward Highlights:

• One card travelled 4,386 km alone, making it from Richmond, B.C. to Toronto, Ont.
• One card visited three different provinces: starting in Nova Scotia, stopping in New Brunswick and eventually making its way to Prince Edward Island
• Some communities kept their cards close to home including Dryden, Ont. that shared a single card 106 times at the same location over six days; and Campbell River, B.C. that shared a single card 64 times at seven different locations in the community
• One card visited seven different communities in British Columbia over 10 days including Delta, Coquitlam, Burnaby, Vancouver, Surrey, Squamish and Richmond
• Ontario shared the most coffees in 10 days with a total of 8,139 across 66 different communities, followed by British Columbia that shared 2,448 coffees across 16 different communities

The Tim Cards were distributed randomly at Tim Hortons Restaurants and public locations all across Canada and were valid for one free coffee per transaction. After each coffee was purchased, the Tim Cards automatically reloaded and Guests were able to pass on the card again and again throughout the 10-day campaign.

As Canadians continue to spread their own acts of kindness in Tim Hortons Restaurants across the country, Guests are encouraged to share their stories online at www.everycup.ca and on social media using #WhyWeBrew.

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About TIM HORTONS^®
TIM HORTONS^®, part of Restaurant Brands International, is one of North America's largest restaurant chains operating in the quick service segment. Founded as a single location in Canada in 1964, TIM HORTONS^® appeals to a broad range of consumer tastes, with a menu that includes premium coffee, hot and cold specialty drinks (including lattes, cappuccinos and espresso shots), specialty teas and fruit smoothies, fresh baked goods, grilled Panini and classic sandwiches, wraps, soups, prepared foods and other food products. As of June 30, 2016, TIM HORTONS^® had more than 4,400 system wide restaurants located in Canada, the United States and the Middle East. More information about the Company is available at www.timhortons.com.

About Restaurant Brands International
Restaurant Brands International Inc. is one of the world's largest quick service restaurant companies with approximately $23 billion in system sales and over 19,000 restaurants in approximately 100 countries and U.S. territories. Restaurant Brands International owns two of the world's most prominent and iconic quick service restaurant brands – TIM HORTONS® and BURGER KING®. These independently operated brands have been serving their respective guests, franchisees, and communities for over 50 years. To learn more about Restaurant Brands International, please visit the Company's website at www.rbi.com.

SOURCE Tim Hortons

Image with caption: "Tim Hortons guests pay forward over 12,000 free cups of coffee in 120 cities (CNW Group/Tim Hortons)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20161020_C4916_PHOTO_EN_800316.jpg

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