Tim Hortons just opened its very first coffee shop in Shanghai, China on Tuesday, Feb. 26. The new restaurant is located in central China's People's Square.
In order to make sure that Tim Hortons will get good sales in China, the menu has been tweaked to cater to the taste of the Chinese customers. Some of the classic favorites in the coffee shop were removed like the Double Double but new items were added to make the menu more appealing to everyone in the region.
Photos of the first Tim Hortons coffee shop in China was posted on social media and it does not look out of place in the Chinese marketplace. Incidentally, the Canadian coffee shop chain remained positive with the opening of its first store in Shanghai despite the current political tensions between their countries.
"I'm not a political expert," Tim Hortons President Alex Macedo said in a statement. "We can't judge when or how or where this is going to end but if we can provide good service and a good restaurant environment, then that's the best we can do."
At any rate, in a press release that was published on Feb. 26, it was stated that the Tim Hortons restaurant in Shanghai is the first store to be launched, out of the planned 1,500 outlets around China. This is the first one to be built since the Canadian coffee company signed an exclusive master franchise partnership agreement with the Cartesian Capital Group last year.
"We're excited to bring the iconic Tim Hortons brand and a piece of Canada around the globe," Macedo said. "China is an attractive growth market and we can't wait for guests to try our classic favorites and some new offerings crafted specifically to the Chinese market."
As for the menu, Tim Hortons' secret to upping its sales in China is to offer drink and assortment of new food specialties that the Chinese people will like. The company's main goal is to serve Chinese customers with authentic Canadian experience while also providing the flavors that will be perfect for their taste and lifestyle.
Some examples of the Chinese menu items that people will find in Tim Hortons' China restaurant are Black Lemon Peach Oolong tea, Blueberry Roselle tea. For the latte, flavors include Matcha, Hazelnut and Maple Macchiato and these can be paired with the Timbits that also come with new flavors like the Salted Egg Yolk. Finally, the Shanghai branch will offer lunches and people can order sandwiches, salads and wraps.
