Introduction
Whenever the topic of quick and good-tasting coffee comes up, Tim Hortons and Starbucks come to mind. Both of these brands have a loyal fan base, and each offers its unique flavours and styles. Today, we will compare the coffees from both brands to see which is better. We’ll look at key factors such as taste, calories/healthiness, pricing, variety, and the overall customer experience. If you love comparing food brands, then you must check-out our Tim Hortons vs KFC article.
Taste Comparison
Tim Hortons’ Classic Coffee Flavour
The best way to describe Tim Hortons’ coffee is that it is smooth in texture and mild in flavour, it comes closer to the traditional coffee flavours. At Tim Hortons, the coffee is brewed fresh and has its signature nutty taste making it a favourite for regular coffee lovers.
Starbucks’s Customizable and Bold Flavours
Starbucks on the other hand have a rich variety of flavours and is known for generally having a stronger and a more bitter taste, something which coffee lovers find appealing in their drinks. Also, it has customizable flavour options as well, from syrup to milk choices and many others as well.
Those looking for the simple traditional coffee flavour will find Tim Hortons’ approach to coffee better while those who want something extra in their coffee such as the unique flavours and variety will find Starbucks’ offering more appealing.
Calories and Healthiness
For a low-calorie option, Tim Hortons and Starbucks both have solid options, Looking at Tim Hortons, a regular medium coffee will set you back around 90 calories, while their famous Iced Capp will give around 250 plus calories.
Starbucks also offer low-calorie drinks, a regular black coffee will only contain 5 calories, but if you go for their Frappuccinos and flavoured lattes, they can go over 400 calories when included with the whipped cream and syrups. But you can select almond and oat milk as popular alternatives to regular milk to save some extra calories.
Overall, you will be fine with choosing any of these restaurants for your low-calorie coffee, however, you will find it easier to choose your favourite at Starbucks because of the sheer variety of low-calorie alternatives they offer.
Price Comparison
In this segment, Tim Hortons wins with a good margin as they are known for providing affordable food. A regular quantity will generally cost around £2 so you can easily get good-tasting coffee without spending too much.
Starbucks typically is the more expensive of the two with a medium-sized coffee costing around £3.5 – £5. More popular drinks with customizations and add-ons can go even higher.
It can be safely said that Starbucks is more of a luxury coffee experience where as Tim Horton is more value for money, especially if you’re looking for a simple coffee to enjoy.
Menu Variety
Looking at the menu of Tim Horton, they offer classic brewed coffee, lattes, cappuccinos and their famous Iced Capp. The number of different coffee offerings is good but not great.
While Starbucks is known for their extensive menu, from espressos to brewed coffee to cold brews, the list is endless. They also offer unique drinks such as their Nitro Cold Brew and their popular Pumpkin Spice Latte. This makes Starbucks a clear winner in terms of the sheer variety they offer on their menu.
Customer Preferences
The buying style at Tim Hortons is more of a grab-and-go one. Customers can get their coffee quickly without any unnecessary delay. This makes the buying process simpler and easier.
At Starbucks, you can create your favourite coffee with a range of customizable and personalized options to suit your needs. You can add milk options, syrups and other add-ons to create the perfect coffee you want. At Starbucks, you can also get different rewards for buying items as well which adds to the whole experience.
Final Verdict: Tim Horton or Starbucks
So which one has the better coffee The final decision is ultimately yours, if you want a no-nonsense simple and affordable coffee experience, Tim Hortons is the way to go, however, if you are the type of person who wants their coffee in a specific way and likes to try out many different options and customizations and want a more premium coffee experience, you’ll enjoy Starbucks more. Ultimately it will depend on your mood and what you’re looking for.