For some inexplicable reason, Canada really loves Tim Hortons. Some people think that it’s because Tim Hortons feels like home. No matter where you go in Canada, you’ll find one. The restaurant chain has also been a longtime sponsor of kids’ hockey and popular events, so you will always see it as a member of the community.

And if you’ve been in Canada for any length of time, you’ve probably heard people talking about this mysterious, “Double Double”.

So, what is a Double Double?

The Tim Horton’s Double Double is a hot coffee made with two shots of cream and two packs of sugar. That’s it. But this Tim’s order is so popular, and so much a part of Canadian culture, that the word Double Double was added to the Canadian Oxford Dictionary in 2004. While you may feel unsure about these add-on’s, try it at least once to really decide for yourself (unless you’re a vegan, of course!). But if you like your coffee sweet, this is the perfect order for you.

A special note: Usually, this drink is made with Tim Hortons Original Blend coffee. Tim Horton’s Original Blend is a medium roast coffee, which is simple, delicious and is also available only at Tim Horton’s.

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Canada + Tim Hortons: A Love Story

Serving over 5 million cups of coffee each day, Tim Hortons is not only a coffee house and restaurant chain, it’s an integral part of the Canadian identity. Founded in 1964 by Canadian NHL hockey player Tim Horton, and his business partner Jim Charade, it started out as a humble hamburger restaurant in North Bay, Ontario.

In 1967, Horton partnered with an investor and they expanded the chain, switching its focus to doughnuts and coffee. The company experienced incredible growth and became part of the Canadian experience.

A picture of timbits and a Tim Horton's cup of coffee. The Tim Horton’s Double Double is a hot coffee with two shots of cream and two packs of sugar and is now a huge part of Canadian culture!
Credit: Conor Samuel

Recently, Canadian musician Justin Bieber even collaborated with Tim Hortons! It included Tim Biebs (Timbit flavours created with input from Bieber himself) and Biebs Brew (The Biebs’ signature cold brew).

Now that you know what a Double Double is and a few other fun facts, it’s time to visit your local Tim Horton’s! Make sure to add a pack of Timbits – the bite-sized versions of doughnuts – with your order. This way, you can truly test out the variety of doughnut flavours available and find your favourite. In the process, you’ll will start building your usual Tim Horton’s order and become a regular!

Learn more about Tim Horton and how the coffee shop came to be here.

About the writer

Jenna completed her Masters in Museum Studies at the University College Cork in Ireland. Having worked in a variety of museums and galleries in Canada and Ireland, she is passionate about building community connections through art and culture.