Hey Hosers, Tim Hortons Has Arrived in Beijing

Tim Hortons, the Great White North's entry into the coffee and donut game, has arrived in Beijing with its first store on the far eastern side of the city.

For the uninitiated, Tim’s is to Canada what Dunkin' and Krispy Kreme are to the US: mid-priced coffee, donuts, and other breakfast pastries, with sandwiches and savory items on the side. Loyalists swear by its coffee and kids love their version of donut holes, referred to in the Horton universe as Timbits.

Fans can only hope that more stores will be coming down the pipeline soon, as for most of us downtowners the first location outside the East Fifth Ring Road can feel like a trip to Newfoundland. However, if Shanghai is any example, an onslaught could be on its way to the capital – Ol' Tim has already opened more than 50 locations in that coastal city since entering the China market a little over a year ago. Heck, the shops have even made their way to Zhengzhou, Hangzhou, and Dalian.

And with mega-giant corporation Tencent on board as an investor, expect the Beijing openings to come hot and heavy.

Now on to the product: the first Beijing outpost is in the Paradise Walk mall on Chaoyang Beilu, out past the Fifth Ring Road and right on top of the Changying station of Line 6. Unless you happen to live or work out there, that's pretty much the there-be-dragons portion of the Beijing map – though the fact that the mall is connected to the subway means it's a mere 20-minute ride from the Dongdaqiao station south of Sanlitun.

Since opening earlier this week, Tim's already seems to have found an audience. Laptop warriors, shoppers, and even some teens filling the slick, artsy dining area that is, of course, chock full of Canadian flair like maple leaf-shaped lampshades.

Anchoring the menu is their line of fairly standard coffee and tea drinks, with the addition of some unique specialties such as maple-flavored coffee. Unlike Dunkin, Tim's was brave enough to bring real North American-style drip coffee to China, rather than opting for espresso, which kind of defeats the purpose of having Dunkin Donuts in China at all. And of course, there's the famed Double Double –  a coffee with two creams and two sugars.

“If you've never tried to jolt yourself awake with a cup of Timmy’s Double Double, you can't call yourself a Canuck,” said long-term Beijing resident and Canadian, Kyle Mullin.

Then there's the donuts – but die-hards accustomed to Tim's typical dozen or more varieties back home might be a little underwhelmed, as so far, in Beijing, they've only debuted six, in addition to six types of Timbits.

The donut varieties on offer are Chocolate, Boston Creme, Rainbow Sprinkles, Cranberry Peanut, Coffee Oreo, and Coconut Lemon. Timbits come in Chocolate Filled, Rainbow Cake, and Chocolate Cake varieties, with some savory selections that may not be as familiar to the folks back in Saskatchewan: Seaweed Pork Floss, Salty Egg Yolk, and Potato Cheese.

In honor of the Beijing launch, they’re also doing up Timbits in tanghulu style, a take on the classic Beijing wintertime street snack of candied Hawthorns on a stick: three Timbits with a light sugar coating and rolled in sesame seeds, served with two actual slices of candied hawthorn in the middle.

Rounding out the edible selections are a small line of sandwiches and bagels. And what coffee shop would be complete without a little branded product? Those nostalgic for all things Tim Hortons will not be disappointed by the shop's range of Canuck-themed mugs, keychains, and other doohickeys.

Planning a visit? The first Beijing Tim Hortons is located at Paradise Walk (龙湖北京长楹天街店) West 1F-34 and is open 10am-10pm.

READ: Taco Bell to Finally Open in Beijing After Years of Anticipation

Images: Michael Wester