50 years ago today Tim Hortons first opened its doors

- Tim Hortons offers free donuts and launches video to mark the occasion and bring guests back to the very beginning: http://bit.ly/1jU3mzV -

OAKVILLE, ON, May 17, 2014 /CNW/ - A stop at Tim Hortons is a rite of passage for Canadians on holiday weekends and today the trip is even sweeter. Tim Hortons is celebrating its birthday by giving away free Birthday Cake Donuts in restaurant and thanking loyal guests for 50 great years.

To help bring Canadians back to when the doors first opened on May 17, 1964, Tim Hortons has created an online video showing how it took over Toronto's Yonge-Dundas Square and turned back the clock. People were surprised and delighted with a '60s streetscape and a recreation of the restaurant's first location - which was blue and white, a nod to founder Tim Horton's hockey roots. Visitors were served free coffee and donuts and enjoyed special guests including Toronto Maple Leaf alumni, Johnny Bower, Ron Ellis, Wendel Clark and Darcy Tucker, and recording artist, Nikki Yanofsky. To share this experience Canadians can watch the video on YouTube www.youtube.com/TimHortons and at www.TimHortons.com.

"Over the past five decades our loyal guests have made Tim Hortons Canada's favourite cup of coffee. Today, from coast to coast our restaurant owners and team members want to say thank you for 50 fantastic years," said Roland Walton, President, Tim Hortons Canada. "We look forward to creating many more memories in the years to come."

Guests are encouraged to share how they are celebrating Tim Hortons 50th birthday on Facebook, Twitter (@TimHortons and Instagram @TimHortons) using #Tims50th.

Tidbits about Tim Hortons:

• Nearly 8 out of 10 cups of coffee sold in Canada are poured at Tim Hortons; each year Tim Hortons serves 2 billion cups of coffee.
• Approximately 15 per cent of Canadians (more than 5.3 million people!) visit Tim Hortons daily.
• The first Tim Hortons location opened in Hamilton on May 17, 1964. At this time, a cup of coffee and a donut cost 10 cents each.
• The four donuts on the original Tim Hortons logo represented Tim Horton's four daughters.
• Over the past 50 years, Tim Hortons has served enough coffee to fill 2500 Olympic sized pools.
• If you were to line up the number of Timbits sold at Tim Hortons since the invention of Timbits in 1976, the line would span across 400,000 km of road - approximately the equivalent of all paved roads in Canada.
• Since it opened its doors nearly 50 years ago, Tim Hortons has grown to the largest publicly-traded restaurant chain in Canada. Tim Hortons currently has 4,524 restaurants in Canada, the U.S. and the Gulf Cooperation Council - 3,610 of these restaurants are in Canada alone.

Tim Hortons Inc. Overview
Tim Hortons is one of the largest publicly-traded restaurant chains in North America based on market capitalization, and the largest in Canada. Operating in the quick service segment of the restaurant industry, 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 March 30, 2014, Tim Hortons had 4,524 systemwide restaurants, including 3,610 in Canada, 870 in the United States and 44 in the Gulf Cooperation Council. More information about the Company is available at www.timhortons.com.

Image with caption: "TORONTO: To celebrate its 50th birthday today, Tim Hortons thanked its loyal guests by treating them to birthday cake donuts in restaurants and creating an online video taking guests back in time to 1964: http://bit.ly/1jU3mzV. #Tims50th (CNW Group/Tim Hortons)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140517_C8935_PHOTO_EN_40462.jpg

SOURCE: Tim Hortons

For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Michelle Robichaud
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905.339.5047