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Tim Hortons upsizes daily java jolt
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The Toronto Star-By John Terauds
The caffeine jitters began before the first sip for some customers at Tim Hortons stores in Kingston and Sudbury on Monday morning.
Coffee lovers ordering their usual medium double-double were given a large-size cup. Large grew into extra-large. And people looking for the workboot kick of the once-20- oz. (591 mL) extra-large instead received 24 oz. (710 mL) of steaming java.
For the next month, residents of these two Ontario cities will be the Canadian test market for the upsized brews.
The former small cuppa — 8 oz. (210 mL) — is history, as is its price point. The cheapest hot Tim’s coffee in the two test towns is now a 10 oz. (296 mL) cup, for $1.33: the price of last week’s medium.
This was enough to create a stir during the morning rush at some locations.
As one reader of the Sudbury Star posted on the newspaper’s website, “It was hilarious watching the mass confusion at the Timmies in the Valley. Guess the signs and explanation from the staff weren’t enough for people.”
Because a change to the morning routine can easily ruffle feathers, Tim’s stores carrying the upsized coffees now sport a large poster explaining the new sizes. Included in the information is a toll-free customer service number to call in case of confusion.
Company spokesman Nick Javor said the upsize servings are meant “to test consumer preferences and that the trend we have seen has been to larger sizes.”
Javor denied the move is an attempt to match Canadian offerings with those at Tim Horton’s outlets in the United States, which sell coffee only in the larger sizes.
In the U.S., Starbucks recently unveiled a 30-oz. “Trenta” hot beverage, upping the ante further. Neither Macdonald’s nor Tim Hortons has followed suit.
Size issues aside, the larger brews bump up the amount of caffeine consumed. The old 8-oz. coffee contained 80 mg of caffeine, according to information supplied by Tim Hortons. The upsize small contains 100 mg of java jolt.
Javor said the new 24-oz. brew contains 340 mg of the stimulant.
This should give coffee lovers pause before they go for an extra shot of joe later in the day: Health Canada recommends a healthy adult not consume more than 400 mg of caffeine daily, or 300 mg in the case of pregnant women.
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