News

Tim Hortons' knits an entire restaurant for holiday campaign

December 19, 2014

Tim Hortons' #WarmWishes campaign, launched in mid-November, has generated nearly 10,000 winter hat donations for children in need, as well as 2,000 blankets, which will be donated to a Toronto shelter.

Also as part of the campaign, Tim Hortons "knitted" an entire restaurant in Fort Frances, Ontario, known as one of the coldest cities in Canada. Prior to opening, the company teased residents with red yard all over town, on trees, mail boxes and park benches. They were prompted to follow the yarn trails until they reached the Tim Hortons, which featured a giant knitted hat and scarf on the exterior, and an interior that was completely knitted over in red and white yarn. The restaurant gave away free coffee to residents all day on Dec. 13.

"Our Warm Wishes campaign this holiday season has been all about generosity and sharing warmth, so it was only fitting that we celebrate the campaign with a gesture of warmth on a grand scale," CMO Peter Nowlan said in a news release. "Fort Frances is a small community that experiences bitterly cold winters and the local Tim Hortons is a regular stop for many, so we wanted to warm up their daily routine in a special, unexpected way. This Warm Wishes transformation is one of many ways we have surprised guests throughout the year."

Tim Hortons is donating yarn to various knitting groups across the country to help knit hundreds of hats and scarves on behalf of the restaurant chain to be donated to people in need. Lettuce Knit in Toronto helped organize the initiative.

Check out video of the Fort Frances restaurant: