A new division, Tims Financial, will launch the Tims Credit Card in the coming weeks | Photo credit: Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons has announced it will launch a new Tims Credit Card, which will enable customers to earn extra rewards points. 
 

The Canadian coffee chain has established a new division, Tims Financial, to launch the Mastercard in the coming weeks. 

Powered by Canadian financial technology company Neo Financial, the Tims Credit Card will accumulate Tims Rewards Points when used to buy petrol and groceries, as well as travel expenses, such as parking and train tickets, and purchases at Tim Hortons outlets.   

Tims Financial will also launch a version of the card for customers who have ‘limited or no credit history’, Tim Hortons added.  

“With almost five million Canadians actively using our Tim Hortons app every month, it became obvious that we could offer our most loyal guests a way to earn Tims Rewards Points even faster with everyday spending and higher points on most gas, grocery and transit purchases. We believe this is an exciting new financial option for millions of Canadians, including newcomers and students who are looking to build their credit history,” said Markus Sturm, Senior Vice President of Digital, Loyalty and Consumer Goods, Tim Hortons. 

In March 2021, Tim Hortons announced CA$80m ($60m) investment in its digital marketing capabilities in a bid to become an ‘industry leader in digital guest experiences’ 

Several North American coffee chains have enhanced their loyalty and rewards schemes in the last year to increase customer retention and cater to rising consumer demand for customisation and convenience. 

In September 2022, Minnesota-based Caribou Coffee refreshed its loyalty programme and launched a new Caribou Coffee app to provide customers with more control over their ordering experience. In a further demonstration of loyalty benefits, the coffee chain dropped its surcharge for plant-based dairy alternatives for Caribou Perks members pre-ordering via the Caribou Coffee app in April 2023. 

Fellow JAB Holding-backed coffee chain Panera Bread rolled out a new choice-based MyPanera rewards programme in September 2022. The updated programme focuses on frequency of visits, consumer spend and customer purchases and preferences, rather than a transactional points system. 

Meanwhile, Dunkin’ unveiled its Dunkin’ Rewards programme across the US in October 2022, whereby members earn loyalty points faster and can redeem points on a range of food. The enhanced programme also includes a new Boosted Status, reported as an additional loyalty tier for Dunkin’s most frequent customers.