On February 17th, customers of the Chestermere Tim Horton’s might have noticed that the Cold Stone Creamery section of the store looked a little empty. This was due to the announcement that owner Andrew Marriott made a few days beforehand, that Tim Horton’s was no longer going to be offering ice cream after the Family Day weekend. After hearing this, people began to come in and buy tubs of their favourite ice creams, nearly depleting the supply before the official giveaway was even announced. The question that was on many people’s minds after hearing the news of its closure was, why?
The fact is that the general public was not prepared for the disparity between the prices of the regular Tim Horton’s products, in comparison with the Cold Stone Creamery products. When asked about the reasoning behind the closure of the ice cream section, Andrew Marriott responded with, “Cold Stone is a premium ice cream, with premium ingredients and served with quality toppings–I think that out guests are used to treats under two dollars, and with all involved in this brand, this was difficult to provide to our guests.” This was the overall downside to having the section present in Tim Horton’s locations. All Tim Horton’s franchises across Canada that have a Cold Stone section in their stores are being affected by the executive decision, outlined by chief executive Marc Caira.
In order to end the partnership on a sweet note, Marriott announced that he would be giving away ice cream on two o’clock, February 17th. A frenzy of people arrived to show their support, and in no time, the Cold Stone Creamery section was bone dry. While people got comfy to enjoy their ice cream, it left others wondering what the next step for the Chestermere Tim Horton’s would be. This was quickly answered when the Cold Stone section was taken out and replaced with new counter space, offering a third cash and beverage station in the restaurant. “Our Chestermere location is a very busy location,” says Marriott, “to help our drive-thru service we have invested in a dual lane service–in which we have seen excellent results. [With a third in-store cash and beverage area] we are confident we will be able to service all our guests quicker.”
A key component to a proper farewell is the memories that accompany it. For some, Cold Stone Creamery was just a convenient ice cream option. For others, it meant a lot more than that. Cold Stone Creamery was the giggles of children watching their parents lick the melting ice cream so it wouldn’t drip down the sides, Cold Stone was the excuse for friends and family to get together and talk, and it was the symbolism of a scalding hot (albeit, rare) summer day in Chestermere. As a town, we set the opening day record for the chain in Canada, having the single busiest opening day out of 30 locations. This section of the store played many roles during its existence in Chestermere, but the public can look forward to the other things that the Tim Horton’s franchise will have to offer in return.
Many new items have been recently added to the menu, such as the launch of the crispy chicken sandwich, as well as a new pretzel bagel, and mustard spread. “Tim Horton’s, in reality, has so many products to offer,” says Marriott, “we are a business in a business!” Although the division of the two franchises may seem to people as a serious reduction in menu options, Tim Horton’s is looking to focus on growing more as a franchise by offering its customers a huge variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. With that, Chestermere says farewell, Cold Stone. Our time together was sweet!
