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Tim Hortons rehires fired woman

Globe and Mail Update with Canadian Press

Latest comment posted at 1:19 AM EDT 08/05/08

Chain blames overzealous manager for dismissal over giving one Timbit to a baby ...Read the full article

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  1. J.C. Davies from Canada writes:
    'for giving one of the 16-cent blobs of fried dough'

    The Canadian Press hates free enterprise.
  2. Randy D from Canada writes: Talk about cheap AND mean-spirited.
  3. Mariposa Belle from Leacockland, Canada writes: Three managers fired her, according to this story. For compassion to a regular customer - who fills the company's coffers.

    Let's bring hockey into this since Tim Horton's advertises on Hockey Night.

    To the managers of this outlet - Na Na Na Nah - Hey Hey Good Bye.
  4. Tor Sandberg from Toronto, Canada writes: Tim Hortons is notorious for treating its workers terribly. Three years of service, and a clearly thoughtful act that could only have had a positive impact on the company puts an end to it all. Shame. Hopefully she finds a better job where she's treated like a human being.
  5. Popeye Dillon from North Vancouver, Canada writes: When did Tim Horton's start serving food? Oh you mean the pig slop!
  6. CD W from Canada writes: deep fried dough with sugar to an infant? trying to give diabetes, allergy, maybe similar to spraying the grass with pesticide! This might have been the first 200 calories of a lifetime of porkitude for the baby. Mother having a bad day or week? Get a husband or failing that, the child support. Or get a union at Tim Horton's so you can grieve this retarded firing, which should have been a verbal warning. Or stay in school so you dont have flog low rent tasting coffee and deep fried fat. Have I covered all of the stereotypes yet?
  7. Some Guy from Canada writes: I'll never set foot in a Tim's again. I think they just lost significantly more than 16 cents.
  8. Chloe Arbutina from Canada writes: You'll never set foot in a Tims again because of this incident? The managers were obviously just trying to make an example of the situation...it is not about WHAT she gave away but rather the fact that she did it, and that if she will do it once, (and smiled when talking to the managers about it) it is likely that she could do it again, perhaps with even larger items. The company is just trying to let the employees know that theft of any kind is unacceptable and I don't think they should be punished for this.
  9. J Ross from Cochrane, Canada writes: Wow. Managerial excellence at its finest.
  10. bob gervitz from United States writes: Chloe writes: ...The company is just trying to let the employees know that theft of any kind is unacceptable...

    Oh get serious Chloe. What you call 'theft' I call good public relations to the mother and the baby. How is this kind deed even remotely close to theft?

    And while it obviously isn't wise to make a steady diet of Timbits, are your knickers in such a twist that you would fire an employee for a one-off error that could have been handled a dozen ways more effectively?
  11. M E from Canada writes: To equate giving a 15 cent treat to a regular customer's baby out of generosity to, say, lifting 100 dollars from the till is laughable. At most the worker should have been reprimanded, especially considering that Tim Hortons does give away day old Tim Bits, meaning the worker may have made an honest mistake. I actually suspect this is what would have happened at most Tim Hortons, but that this particular one has a couple of petty dictators in management positions.
  12. Chloe Arbutina from Canada writes: Bob, picture this:
    A line waiting behind this woman (who couldnt just pay the 16 cents herself apparently?) are impatient and in a hury and this cashier is handing out free timbits to a kid ahead of you. Do it for one person and you have to do it for everyone.

    I can agree that firing her is going a bit too far but she definitely should have been penalized with at least a suspension.
  13. Chloe Arbutina from Canada writes: M. E. wrote : I actually suspect this is what would have happened at most Tim Hortons, but that this particular one has a couple of petty dictators in management positions.

    ....
    Or maybe they were just looking for an excuse to fire someone who had already been a lazy worker with other past problems.
    I mean, if we are theorizing here that it could have been an 'honest mistake' it could also have been an employee with a history for such 'mistakes.'
  14. Archie 1954 from Vancouver, Canada writes: I sure hope Chloe above never gets to be a manager, she'd fire you if you forgot to save the old coffee to sell to the customers the next day. The truth is that these inconsequential nice freebees are what keeps the customers coming back. They are called customer appreciation. Now that I know how perverse the Tim Horton's Company is I won't be going back. Why should I support a company that fires an employee for creating good morale in the customers. Starbucks here I come.
  15. Francis Hally from Montreal, Canada writes: I wonder if Mrs. Jennifer O'Brien could be fired for writing 'woman' in its plural form.
  16. Kathy Dimock from Barrie, Canada writes: Sounds to me like Timmys is going to the dogs and for 16cents, they must be hurting.
  17. Chrissy Simon from Canada writes: I sure hope this lady gets another, better job somewhere else as a result of all this publicity.
  18. George Duncan from Canada writes: Policy is policy but but it appears the three Tim Hortons managers (if you could call them as such) are perhaps a little DUMB!
  19. Jimmy K from Toronto, Canada writes: An example of 'Zero tolerance' policies taking the place of common sense.

    Now, I can totally see why they did it and why they have policies like this, afterall, about a decade and a half ago when I was in high school and used to work in fast food, I used to give free food away to everyone and anyone. Friend of mine? Free food. I don't feel like ringing it up properly? Free food. Hot girl who's number I can get? Free food. Etc.
    Yeah, maybe it was stealing, whatever, I was in high school and didn't care much. I deserved to be fired, but they never did. If anything they'd just yell at me. For this woman however they should have shown some leniency. Yell at her if you must, but a timbit isn't a fire worthy offense. And remember people love getting free stuff, that woman was probably so happy her little baby got a free timbit, that she would come back again. It was a 16 cent investment that may have led to her making many trips back to the store. Now she probably thinks Timmies is stupid and will never come back, over 16 cents. The management at Timmies is completely stupid.
  20. john shantz from Canada writes: Obviously the Tim Hortons dynasty fears this single mother's chance of court action........ why else have a three manager firing squad......... can't help thinking this could lead to a break for this woman.......... after all what worse place is there to work at than TimHo's?
  21. ed ncda from Calgary, Canada writes: She was caught by a surveillance camera which begs the question: What prompted the managers to be checking the video tape in such minute detail? Anyone who's ever actually needed to check video tapes knows that it's tedious and extremely time consuming. So the choices are: 1) some other employee had it in for her and snitched - which would mean that the staff morale was lousy to start with; 2) they were looking for a reason to fire her and were determined to succeed; 3) the managers spend a lot of time spying on their employees' every action - as opposed to viewing the videotape for evidence only when a serious event occurs such as a holdup - in which case they could seemingly cut back on staff that they can't bring themselves to trust by spending some of their time on doing productive work themselves.
    In any event, it seems to me that this sort of cheap fits in perfectly with the mentality that left Tim's widow with a million bucks and a pink Cadillac instead of a decent share of a major corporation.
    And re the comment about the reporter's aparrently incorrect use of the word 'Women' (in the headline): the lowly reporter is not the one who writes the headline, the editor does that.
  22. Robin Hannah from Canada writes: I admit I could be mistaken about 'Chloe Arbutina', but some of the fake names on these posts, like the opinions that skulk behind them, are starting to sound as inane as spam.
  23. A. Greene from Canada writes: Chloe - what a silly person you are!

    It's obvious they were looking for any excuse to fire this woman. We probably don't know that whole story as G&M is becoming more tabloid by the minute. If true, then it's terrible and the particular franchaise needs to be called out so it can be boycotted until she is reinstated with a warning and a note in her file. Where is common sense? In London, it's fallen in the Thames!
  24. Jimmy K from Toronto, Canada writes: Haha okay, I re-read the article closer, and it was district manager Nicole Mitchell who is defending this (so yes, go ahead and boycott the entire chain if you must, not just the store).

    I guess it's the entire organization that's stupid. As a former Tim's shareholder, I'd really like to know if someone from their PR department even took a look at this. There is a big negative story in the paper that is making at least a couple people quite mad, OVER 16 CENTS!?!? The optics of this are so bad, a single mother of four, fired for giving the baby of a regular customer a timbit. Wow. This is almost as bad as years ago when that Liberal MP refused to help a disabled and blind war veteran because the veteran didn't vote for him in the previous election. I recall Paul Martin had the good sense to take that MP behind the shed and smack him a few times (figuratively of course). I wonder if Tim's management will do the same, or if they are on board with this.

    Guaranteed this bone headed PR move will cost a lot more than they'll save by scaring the other employees into not giving away free food. If you want to make an example of someone, catch someone giving away a coffee (a whole dollar!) or a sandwich. In terms of pure dollars and cents, firing someone over a timbit is just a bad business decision when you measure the revenue it will drive away, vs the 'theft' losses it will save. Is this typical of high level Tim Hortons management? Maybe that's why they continually fail to expand outside of Canada, they're all stupid automatons, given no flexibility by higher up to make decisions and do their job to make customers happy.
  25. Michael Sharp from Victoria., Canada writes:

    She should be charged with intent to injure.

    I recommend a class action suit against Tim Horton's for selling toxins to Canadians.

    Well, in the east anyways.

    Out here we get our toxins from Starbucks.

    Starbucks came from Seattle.
    Seattle is just down the road.

    Toronto is way the frack and gone.
    Tim Horton was a Maple Leaf.

    Like I'd drink his coffee or eat his toxins.
  26. Pierre-Yves P from Toronto, Canada writes: I am boycotting Tim Horton`s starting today. Donuts are not good for your waistline anyway, and I make better coffee.
  27. John Deriso from Edmonton, Canada writes: (A) No one is ever fired over sixteen cents. That's not stealing. And no sane person would ever classify it as such. The only logical conclusion is that she was fired for this on top of several other issues that she had in the past. I would like to know what those were, since it does seem like they were just looking for any excuse to get rid of her.

    (B) The managers at this Tim Horton's are actually robots. That's really the only explanation I can give, since no human being would follow company policy to the letter. It's not like they could just deduct the price of the doughnut from her salary....

    At any rate, it's got to be embarrassing to get sacked from a fast food job and have that make the papers. I do hope A is not the case, because that's going to really hurt her in the long run when future employers google her name and find the news story in the G&M confirming A. Whoops.
  28. Dex tr from Canada writes: Email them to tell them how you feel.
    customer_service@timhortons.com
  29. Bryce Richards from Calgary, Canada writes: The managers at this Tim Hortons should be sent over to Myanmar for a year and forced to learn compassion through service to others. In no way was this incident theft. The managers are a bunch of ignorant irangitangs with the brains to suit.

    Rant, Rant, Rant.
  30. Michael Sharp from Victoria., Canada writes:

    I had a Timbit once.

    I got better.
  31. Robin Hannah from Canada writes: What I find interesting are the layers of this story. A 16-cent blob of fat, a 27-year-old mother of four (is that still happening??), a supposedly quintessential Canadian company that sold out to Wendy's, which in turn got gobbled up by Arby's ('job cuts likely'), video surveillance of the premises, apparently including the employees, perhaps especially including the employees, all toiling to make a grand buck, and all of this under the name of a Hockey Hall of Famer, who was on the team when the Leafs last won the Cup. As news items go, that's pretty rich.
  32. Johnny Choy from Canada writes: I'm going to start eating at Krispy Kreme now......if I could find a location....
  33. E M from Kyoto, Japan at the moment, Canada writes: Dear Tim Hortons:

    You should fire those 3 incompetent managers. And you should rehire that woman immediately (with a raise), for providing a sample to a child. If I ever set foot inside a Tim Horton's again, I'll demand to see the manager (not the front-line workers), for anything even remotely incorrect, and demand compensation. Coffee too hot, too cold? I want the MANAGER to fix it, not the counter staff. Washrooms not clean? I want the MANAGER, PERSONALLY to clean it...NOW! (Or I'll call the health dept, with the manager's name, refusing to rectify unsanitary conditions, etc.) And Tim Horton's, you've just lost any 'donations' to any of your 'so-called charities'. It is evident now that they are just a sham, used only for self-promotion. It is now abundantly clear that you have (and approve of) managers who abuse workers, rather than reward someone simply providing a free sample to a child. Absolutely appalling, and if I don't hear that this decision has been reversed/remedied, etc. you can be assured that this story will follow Tim Horton's from now into the future, and adversely affect your business.
  34. Rollo Tomasi from Europe's Capital, Belgium writes: It probably wasn't the first time that this ex-employee gave away products, probably it was the first time she was caught red-handed. I wouldn't want her working for me, either.
  35. James C from Shenzhen, China writes: 'Archie 1954 from Vancouver, Canada writes: I sure hope Chloe above never gets to be a manager, she'd fire you if you forgot to save the old coffee to sell to the customers the next day. The truth is that these inconsequential nice freebees are what keeps the customers coming back. They are called customer appreciation.'
    _________

    indeed archie. good points. a little giveaway such as a timbit to a baby is one thing that would keep that customer coming back. now, that customer (and others quite likely) are probably gone forever to the competition. tim hortons will definitely regret the bad PR this generates. what kind of management techniques are they teaching their people?
  36. Orest Zarowsky from Toronto, Canada writes: Unions are passe and no longer necessary, according to some. And the Employment Standards Act protects workers too. Not to mention that large corporations actually do believe that their most important resource is their people. If you belive that, have I got some real estate deals for you. Cash only. No refunds. And the line starts over there on the right.
  37. Tkk Z from Canada writes:
    Fire the managers !!

    For sheer stupidity. They don't have the brains to understand corporate rules, the sense to interpret them, and nor the supervisory skill to deviate from the absolute . They have failed the tests of being a manager.
  38. ah sails from Canada writes: Maybe we can all chip in to pay for the timbit..I expect she'll get her job back with all the PR this story will get...I mean if they fired her because that stuff is poison and shouldn't be fed to children that would make more sense
  39. Andrew P from toronto, Canada writes: Any lawyers or aspiring lawyers (law students) want to represent this woman in court and file a wrongful termination suit against Tim Hortons (the corporation) and that particular Tim Hortons franchise store? This is unjust termination and/or termination in bad faithful.

    Just the negative publicity of a lawsuit would teach Tim Hortons a lesson.
  40. Ron Warwick from Sudbury, Canada writes: Can not believe what I'm hearing/reading here! Tim Hortons have you gone absolutely MAD???
  41. Northern Princess from Canada writes: Yep, word of mouth has always been known to either break or make a business thousand times better advertising than any paid advertisement can provide. Having said that, that particular Timmy's will be getting some bad business for quite some time, if that employee has been an honest and good worker. 16 cents vs a regular customer x a lot more in the future many more customers impressed with Timmy's kindness (she did represent Timmy's) or 16 cents vs no more regular customer x story told to many = many not returning to that particular Timmy's ... come on! This is not a brainer.
  42. Mike *** from Hamilton, ON, Canada writes: There are two separate issues here: (i) the conduct -- or misconduct -- of the employee; and (ii) the conduct -- or perceived misconduct -- of Tim Horton’s. First, with regard to the misconduct of the employee ---- Theft is theft, right? In the strictest and most cold-hearted application of what is apparently established policy, yes this is an example of theft. If everyone at Tim Horton’s is held to this very high standard then, despite how hard this situation might be to swallow, so be it. However, shame on those firing the employee if they have so much as used office supplies to scribble down a personal note or taken a pen out of the office. (By my rough estimation -- and this is just a guess -- a pen is valued at more than the 16-cent piece of prepared dough which is at issue.) Second, with regard to Tim Horton’s actions ---- If the 16-cent item is the only cause of action then the dismissal is rather illogical. If they just let it go, then, at worst, Tim’s would be at a loss of 16 cents. My guess is the regular customer that was the recipient of the item is now a former customer. Tim’s has almost certainly lost the revenue stream associated with this customer. This is compounded by the fact that readers of this and other newspapers may very well change their decision of whether or not to buy from Tim Horton’s tomorrow. Strategically, me alone – one person, not buying a coffee tomorrow makes Tim Horton’s decision a public relations mess. I say to them, collect your 16 cents but don’t expect me to buy my regular coffee from you tomorrow. There is no comparison between the 16-cent loss and the value of future business that is lost when this story is reported. I don’t think that this is the entire story. There is probably more to this than has been reported or been made known.
  43. Michael Sharp from Victoria., Canada writes:

    But...

    The precedent!

    If you give away one free Timbit where does it stop?

    Free Timbits for all?

    Tim Horton's is completely justified in this.

    What?
    Are the supposed to just gave it away?
  44. Jason Thorne from Vancouver, Canada writes: ed ncda from Calgary, Canada, I agree with your comment about viewing the video tape.

    As for getting fired over giving a timbit away is crazy. I used to work at a tim horton's and gave free donuts and coffee away every day. Whether it be to cops (daily), paramedics (daily), regular customers (once in a while), friends (once in a while), or some one lucky enough to catch me about to dump coffee that had been on for the 20 minute limit or about to dump out the donuts and timbits at 3 am when I am cleaning up (almost daily). I worked there for 5 years and my boss only commented on me giving stuff to friends, and I understood and listened, but I wouldn't have even considered that a warning.
  45. Bill Murtagh from Canada writes: I continue to be amazed by the stupidity of people. Tim's spends hundreds of millions of dollars advertising and promoting and protecting their brand and then a few, small-minded idiots pull something like this. I hope the company loses millions because of it. That is going to be one hell of an expensive Timbit before this is over.
  46. Brian Marto from Toronto, Canada writes: The worse thing this will go on her employee record, companies like Tim Horton are one's to stay away from. I do not see the harm of a little Tim Bit to a child, it was not a sandwich or free coffee. Tim Horton is not in a position to receive bad publicity and well they are getting some now.
    A good manager would say I know you just being kind but we cannot give free food. In other words a warning that is all simple but your stealing your fired. I think Tim Hortons has to grow up and start smelling the coffee.
  47. Robin Hannah from Canada writes: John Deriso from Edmonton - keep in mind, Arby's is owned by Triarc. Whoever they are. And conglomerates do seem to have an unforgiving attitude towards human missteps amongst their 'workers'. Such as handing out 16-cent items to babies. The 3-manager tribunal this minimum-wage worker faced is a case in point. And ooh boy, one thing conglomerates looove, is intimidating their minimum-wage workers. Or firing them outright, for 'theft'. Pretty much keeps their machinery going, and their profits, and keeps their masses in line. This laughable little story says it all.
  48. Carl White from Canada writes: Goodbye, Tim Hortons. I've been meaning to wean myself off your coffee and this is the excuse I need.

    I imagine Tim Horton himself (hockey player for the Maple Leafs) would have been extremely unhappy to have his name associated with such a soulless enterprise.
  49. Puzzled One from Vancouver, Canada writes: Actually, Starbucks and many reputable chains give out samples all the time.

    And my local donut store regularly dispenses donut hole samples to my two kids (though I reimburse them in the tip jar).

    Was it theft? Absolutely. But on another level, this woman was doing what all good businessfolk do-- recognising the needs of her customer and going beyond the ordinary to provide service. The tragedy is that businesses no longer recognise originality or loyalty, rewarding instead absolute subservience (I was only following orders...)

    The managers, on the other hand, lack any vision or management ability. Should the woman have been rebuked? Probably. Fired? No. If the woman merited firing for other reasons (despite her tenure of three years) then the managers should have had the nerve to stick to principles, rather than using a pathetic 16c. timbit as an excuse. Pathetic.
  50. Al Suba from Canada writes: Giving “day-old and recycled” timbits to dogs? They ought to be sued for cruelty to animals!
  51. Barbie Foster from Gibsons, Canada writes: I think Tim Horton's needs to change it's rules. Right after they fire three abusive managers. It took three of you , hmmmm, shame on you! Talk about ambushed! These are Canadians? How embarrassing!
    Shame on you for not taking pride in YOUR customers, shame on you for not taking pride in your work place, and double dawg shame on you for not supporting your staff, shame on you for not encouraging your staff to excerise a positive attitude to the public.
    What kind of employer needs to spy on their staff, and what do they get paid, whose kind of attitude is that??

    If it isn't just about the money, then your cash registers should have a ' promotion' key on them, and clear instructions for ' Tim Bits Only ' that should take care of any inventory.
    What a shame to loose an employee who valued YOUR bread and butter!

    Good luck to the Mother of 4 in a new career......
  52. Craig Cooper from Toronto, writes: No wonder Timmy's is so profitable!
  53. Jimmy K from Toronto, Canada writes: Tim Hortons, enjoy your 16 cents. I'm done with you forever now.

    Starbucks only costs about 25 cents more anyway.
  54. bucko overseas from United Arab Emirates writes: IMO .. a bit of a big time PR screw up by Tim Hortons here. While a 16 cent timbit is costing the woman her job... this public disclosure of the incident and how management handled it is certainly costing Tim Hortons a lot more.

    Cost?
    1) public image .. of being ruthless and autocratic $$$money counters$$$ rather than a wholesome and community minded, customer focused business that values its customers as neighbours as well as 'wallets'
    2) loss of potential future employees who might very well be thinking that they would have done the same thing .. so stay away from there
    3) a chance for customers who may never have thought of looking at alternatives in the neighbourhood, to take a moment 'now' to review their options nearby

    If you want to differentiate yourself from your competition these days, its through solid 'customer service' not just maintaining margins .. that includes putting a 'human face' on your business, generating a positive work environment for your employees (one that encourages your employees, one that recognizes and rewards those who project a 'culture' of caring .. especially when you're serving the public). This does absolutely the contrary.

    What you do to one of the flock, you end up doing to all of the flock.

    It should be interesting to see what form Tim Horton's 'damage control' takes.
  55. Matthew Rockall from Mission, Canada writes: This isn't theft. If she ate the bloody timbit herself that would be theft. This is public relations. I agree with Bill Murtagh. How short-sighted of Tim's. How much of a black eye is this 16-cent timbit worth? Are they crazy? Even if they did want an excuse to fire this woman, which seems likely, doing it over a Timbit given to a baby!? They ought to fire the senior manager in charge for being a dumb-a$$. Sheesh!
    Bet you head office is pissed at this story hitting the national news.
  56. Becca F from United Kingdom writes: I'm not sure if this is still the policy but at least up until 2000 employees at Tim Horton's got free timbits, donuts and coffee. So is it really 'theft'?
  57. Robin Hannah from Canada writes: Are you guys just not getting this? Tim Horton's isn't Tim Horton's, anymore, and it hasn't been for a long while. Now it's TRIARC. And the 'managers' are now getting their orders from on high. On how to 'maximize profit' and 'minimize theft'. Complete with video surveillance. Poor Tim.

    Some people call Naomi Klein paranoid, and worse. I say thank god for her.
  58. Rollo Tomasi from Belgium writes: Becca F from United Kingdom writes: I'm not sure if this is still the policy but at least up until 2000 employees at Tim Horton's got free timbits, donuts and coffee. So is it really 'theft'?
    ----------------------------------

    It really is theft.
  59. dave sharpe from Canada writes: so if you can't justify firing her for giving away one timbit, you come on here with inuendo that there must surely be alot more that she has done...you sound as pathetic as tim hortons Rollo, and who the heck would want to work with you Rollo
  60. Robin Hannah from Canada writes: RIP Tim Horton's.
    Long live Triarc.
  61. Jedi Knight from Richmond Hill, Canada writes: You have got to be kidding? That is an outrageous termination! If the termination was just based on giving away one Timbit. The public image of Tim Hortons just took a nose dive!
  62. Jedburgh Abbey from Canada writes: Good reason never to visit those sh**y restaurants again.
  63. Rollo Tomasi from Belgium writes: dave sharpe from Canada writes: so if you can't justify firing her for giving away one timbit, you come on here with inuendo that there must surely be alot more that she has done...you sound as pathetic as tim hortons Rollo, and who the heck would want to work with you Rollo
    ---------------

    It's where the law draws the line. Live with it. Never steal anything less than at least the equivalent of a full year's salary.
  64. E D from Canada writes: If the baby chocked on the free Timbit, given to her by an employee, who would the parents sue! The reason for dismissal may not be as simple as it seems.
  65. Arthur Meighen from Siberia-on-the-Rideau, Canada writes: Tim Hortons has gotten way too big for its britches. I wonder - would Tim himself have approved of this bone-headed, mean-spirited decision? Somehow I doubt it.

    Tim Hortons is not a Canadian institution - it's just another over-sized corporate monolith that badly needs to be knocked down a few pegs.
  66. E D from Canada writes: If the baby choked on the free Timbit, given to her by an employee, who would the parents sue! The reason for dismissal may not be as simple as it seems.
  67. steve B from Canada writes: Nicole Mitchell : Your attitude and comment,with regard to this employee giving a TimBit to a toddler,is a reflection of the society we have created for our children.A self-rightious,ego-driven and perverse mass that has lost all semblance of both humility and a sense of humanity with concern for others.Wisdom has been a casualty and that is tragic.What IS frightening,is that some children are being raised in their parents image.

    Two bits of advice:1) Treat others as you would like to be equally trated.
    2)What goes around,comes around and usually with great speed!!!!!
  68. James MacDonald from Edmonton, Canada writes: I just came home from Tim's. My friends and I had coffee there earlier tonight. I will BOYCOTT Tim Hortons from now.
  69. M. Mark from Victoria, Canada writes: On the surface, this seems ridiculous and a foolish thing for Tim Horton's to do. A warning seems far more appropriate. The company is harmed by the negative publicity. It makes me wonder whether there is more to this story (i.e. this is a very bad employee in other respects, she has been warned many times previously, etc)
  70. Patrick Girard from Ottawa, Canada writes: On the face of it, this is completely crazy. I speculate that three junior managers wanted to practice firing someone. How on earth do they have time to review security video for something as small as this?

    This reflects badly on Tim Hortens. These managers should be reprimanded and the employee reinstated. If there were other issues that prompted the termination, they should be dealt with properly.

    Every time I go to a Tim Hortons drive-thru with my little daschund in the car, the drive thru attendant always gives him a Timbit, he has learned to expect it, and this is at more than one location. I certainly wouldn't want to be responsible for having one of these people fired for this and I doubt it would happen.
  71. T Y from Canada writes: Tim Hortons is so low rent, I feel like I'm slumming whenever I go through their drive through, let alone go inside that greasy spoon! The bad publicity is priceless! I'll be sure to stay away from now on!

    Highbrow Starbucks gives out free food samples all the time! And their baristas are gracious and give out free drink samples too!

    I hope that fired lady gets a much better job out of this G&M story.
  72. Kilgore Trout from So it goes, Canada writes: Gee, what is the cost of getting three managers together to discuss what to do about the giving away of one timbit? I'm sure its way above 16 cents... talk about really poor fiscal management if you ask me.
  73. Othello Leblanc from United States writes: Doughnut Nazis!
  74. David Mordecai from Toronto, Canada writes: Well thanks to the Globe and Mail for giving the managers and Tim Hortons their just reward. And if they didn't pay her some severance your article may have also helped her find a lawyer willing to argue her case. For Tim Hortons to imagine behaviour that could reasonably be considered good customer relations as just cause for dismissal is absurd.
  75. John Connor from Canada writes: I never go to Timmies anyway. There's no one working the counter, becausemost of the staff is feeding dogs at the drive through counter when I walk in.
  76. Chris Lalonde from Canada writes: How dare she provide give service for a repeat customer, this is Tim Hortons!!

    One major problem with working in low-wage jobs (besides low pay) is that the calibre of the managers is often quite poor for obvious reasons.
    Even if she was a bad employee, firing over a Timbit is weak. As for corporate PR, they've blown it. As many posters stated, chains like Starbucks have far better service and appear to be more professional...
  77. Expert Eel from Canada writes: some kind lady working behind the counter of a small mom and pop store in Shanty Bay gave my 2 boys each a free caramel because she felt that they were really cute and polite. I thanked her for this and though that it was a nice gesture. It's amazing how a small gesture that cost's pennies can mean so much. I will surely go back to this store and spend more money.
  78. David M from St. John's, Canada writes: Wow, that's unreal........I visit Tim's quite regularly and it'll be a while before I go back again, if ever. Too bad we can't get a nation wide boycott going just to show how supportive we are of Ms. Mitchell and her team of managers.... She must have had such a feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day......a warm cozy glow for a job well done.......
  79. TED DICKIE from LIVERPOOL,NS, Canada writes: WHAT A PUBLIC RELATIONS DISASTER? SUGGEST TIM HORTONS FIRES THE MANAGERS AND REINSTATES THE LADY WITH A BONUS AND A WRITTEN APOLOGY--ASAP!!!!!!!
  80. Mark Shore from Ottawa, Canada writes: Wow. You can't BUY publicity like that, no matter what your marketing budget. All those heartwarming commercials with young hockey players and community volunteers, up in smoke (or down the drain).

    A tip to those posters who were speculating that the corporate owners (doesn't sound like a franchise in this case) were just looking for an excuse to get rid of an employee: you don't pick a justification that makes you look WORSE than firing someone for valid reasons does.

    'Guys, I just had a managerial brainstorm! You know how Joe came in late twice last month and sometimes has an attitude? Let's fire him because his skin color clashes with the uniform!'
  81. Mac- GLG from Canada writes: Onece I saw them stop a guy on his way out of the store so they could get .10 for a cheese slice THEY forgot to charge for. The guy had been in line for 10 minutes prior.

    I've started going to Pete's and Starbucks.

    TH is way over rated and slow.
  82. Buenaventura Durruti from Canada writes: I'll never step foot in a Tim Horton's again. Not that I'll be missing much though. The only reason I ever went in the first place is because it's the closest coffee shop to my house, but I'm sure I'll be able to suffer the extra 10 minutes it's takes to walk to a coffee shop that treats it's employees ethically. I'll probably get better tasting coffee too.
  83. Chris Lalonde from Canada writes: Meant to say ... How dare she provide GOOD service to a repeat customer, this is Tim Hortons!!!
  84. James C from Shenzhen, China writes: 'Rollo Tomasi from Belgium writes: Sorry, but there's probably more to the story than the single incident, she did work there for 3 years, which is about how long it takes to really know an employee.'
    _________

    not sure what business youre in but three months is enough time to know an employee who shows up for work everday. that's what some organizations have probation periods for.

    if tim hortons was looking for an excuse to fire this woman (as you say there may be more to the story) then they have a dumb@$$ manager who picked the wrong reason to fire someone.

    and as someone else noted above, this is no longer the community minded canadian owned tim hortons many of us grew up with. its just another company owned by some multi national corp that seemingly only cares about one thing - $$$.
  85. M G from Toronto, Canada writes: It's simple. Fight your addiction and accept your compassion or purchase your coffee elsewhere. No more Tim Horton's for us.
  86. Levap K from Burlington, Canada writes: I don't think I ever read any other responses where readers would be as united as they are here.

    GOOD BYE TIMMY AND SLEEP TIGHT ON YOUR LAURELS!!
  87. gao gao from Canada writes: E D from Canada writes: If the baby choked on the free Timbit, given to her by an employee, who would the parents sue! The reason for dismissal may not be as simple as it seems.

    ==========

    you think you are real smart, don't you? people like you makes a free timbit such a bit deal.
  88. Bill Weston from Grand Rapids, MI, United States writes: Unlike some of the posters on this page who sound as if theyve never worked in a restaurant a day in their lives, Ive actually spent about 20 years in restaurant management. There is no way this woman should have been terminated. In the restaurant industry, especially a limited menu, fast food unit, a good manager can usually tell within three weeks, three months tops, if an employee is going to work out or not. This woman had been there three years. She was obviously not a bad employee. You just dont keep a questionable employee around for that long. The thing that convinces me of the truth of this is the district managers comment in the article that giving free food is against policy. If this was a troublesome employee with a track record of breaking the rules and being warned, the dm could have commented something along the lines that there was more to this story then she was able to go into. But she didnt and I can only assume then that the timbit give away was the sole reason for the termination. One of the first rules of good management is that you have to be able to think on your feet, not just blindly follow the manual. I would have had a hard time even reprimanding this woman, at least with a straight face. It sounds to me like this was three youthful managers on a power trip, something that is also not uncommon in the industry. I cant even agree with the 'theft is theft' excuse. There are shades of grey here and this employee erred on the side of creating good will. She was an employee who 'thought on her feet', who saw an opportunity to do something nice for a customer having a bad day and did it. To me, that makes her a valuable employee, not a thief. If I was in charge of these three mismanagers, they would be back as hourly employees today, at least until they learned some common sense.
  89. Robert Dryburgh from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada writes: Surely firing this woman this was unduly harsh. I can't boycott them because I don't go there but probably would if I was a customer. The lineups of the mindless will still be there. A little shorter due to fuel prices but not over this incident.
  90. James C from Shenzhen, China writes: thank you very much bill weston. a very well thought out comment.
  91. Jorly fuster from Canada writes: I don't understand people's addiction to Tim Hortons, the food sucks, the coffee is just brown with water and the founder died in a DUI accident which I thought we're all supposed to frown upon.

    Looks like the cracks are beggining to show.
  92. Silver Fern from Canada writes: I called into the local Timmies about half an hour before closing a few nights ago. Fortunately not to buy TimBits. I couldn't have done so if I'd wanted to as the young woman behind the counter had just finished filling a large plastic bag full of them to give to a man who comes in regularly to feed them to racoons. Aside from thinking it probably wasn't good for the critters, I thought no more of it. Now though, I wonder. Should she be done for theft, or should the customer be had for shoplifting. Or.....do we prosecute the racoons? Nah! They've had punishment enough, eating those gross little 16c blobs of fried dough! Give the woman her job back you imbeciles in Tim Horton's 'management'. This little exercise is costing you considerably more than $0.16.....
  93. Expert Eel from OttaPettaOshawawawawa, Canada writes: The Tim's website has a contact tab with an 888 number to call if you would like to provide feedback. The G&M censors won't allow me to cut and paste from that page but it is easy to find.
  94. Canada Forever from Canada writes: I won't be buying timmies anymore.

    customer_service@timhortons.com

    No more Tyrant Timmies.
  95. Canuck in KL from KL, Malaysia writes: Starbucks should pounce on this ex Horton's worker and hire her! This is the kind of 'partner' behaviour that Starbucks promotes in their shops...
    I wonder how long before this poor woman is reinstated, and perhaps given a raise! Maybe TH should spend some money on giving their 'Store Management' some sensitivity training or maybe a dose of 'marketing 101' ... this was a regular customer and her infant...
    The Bizarro world of doing business strikes again..
  96. Jorly fuster from Canada writes: Oh, and might I add this isn't the first bonehead move by Tim Horrortons. A woman in a New England Tim Horrorotons was blugeoned to death while working alone at one of their stores. The next year, the bonehead marketers came up with a promotion to get a free mug. The headline was 'come to tim hortons and get mugged' or something to that effect.

    I guess in shows that eating deep fried dough and disgusting processed meat sandwiches gives you more than heart diseas and pancreatic cancer, it makes you a dumba$$.
  97. K N from Barrie, writes: I'm pretty sure that the last time I drove through a timmys, (a couple of years ago) they offered a free timbit to my dog !!!
  98. Geoffrey May from Canada writes: Hortons sucks, lousy coffee,hideous 'food',Of course the employee should be fired, imagine giving that poison crap to a baby!

    For years I would buy my son a TimHortons blackforest cake as a treat,for him and his friends at university.One year I bought one for myself-it was horrid .Looked great-tasted terrible.
  99. michael morris from Prescott, Canada writes: Usually go to tim hortons once a day, will be boytcotting till 3 managers (LOL) are fired and lady reinstated.
    • Posted 08/05/08 at 6:26 AM EDT |