Tim Hortons Vs Starbucks

As I would hate to admit it, I was a mindless consumer. Not long ago, I would regularly

get caught into the advertiser’s web of promotions and exclusive events. Likewise, this does not

exclude Starbucks. There was a time back in high school where I was swayed by Starbucks

constant promotions which motivated me to continuously buy their products. Not only did I stop

by every morning on my way to school to grab myself a cup of joe, but I would frequently

encourage my friends to hang out at Starbucks after school as well. All for what you ask? To

collect loyalty program stars.

This establishment has created a strong foundation into enticing current customers to stay

and future customers to join through crucial segmentations in which

helps the Starbucks business
find out who their target customers are based on their needs, as well as know how one behaves
towards a product. With these demographics, Starbucks uses it to entice customers to their
company through their website and phone app by displaying their high-quality coffee, promoting
their most wanted drinks, and encouraging consumers through loyalty programs.
Showcasing the many different drinks Starbucks offers on their online menu, Starbucks
includes many options that quenches one’s fix. Starting from multiple espresso flavours, they
included blended beverages such as Frappuccino’s, targeting sweet tooth’s, Teavana refreshers
for people who don’t want caffeine, and customizable drinks. Because of this, the website was
the reason I was lured into being a Starbucks fanatic as their website was able to exhibit the
many choices for me to choose from depending on my mood for the day. After stepping into
many Starbucks branches, I almost immediately notice the comfortable and warm modern feel
franchises in the Richmond Hill and Waterloo regions exhibit. Commonalities I have noticed
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were their low dangling lights, radiating dim yellow rays that balances their chocolate wooded
furniture and sofas, sat beside cream coloured walls which hung aesthetically pleasing art.
Creating a cozy effect, Starbucks has created a place for teenagers, adults, or the elderly to talk in
a relaxing setting or to catch up on work. Starbucks explained their shop concept having “a
trend-setting style that is comfortable and welcoming” (Starbucks) which I would say it was an
accurate statement. Not only do their website array their many refreshments and concepts but,
Starbucks have created a coffee shop that expands the limitation of out coffee experience. As a
person who is lactose-intolerant, I can change my milk to lactose free milk and I can ask for less
sweetener, more caramel, plus one more shot of espresso in my Venti Iced Caramel Macchiato.

Compared to Tim Hortons, Starbucks also displays many attractive photographed drinks that

tempt coffee consumers to visit their café. Likewise, the baristas live up to the perfectly

photographed expectations as the appealing appearance of the drink charms me to visit again.

In addition to a hospitable coffee shop, Starbucks created a loyalty program by which you

can earn star points to gain access to benefits such as free birthday rewards, free in-store refills,

and access to exclusive events and offers through their trendy phone app. For every dollar spent,

one will get 2 stars and the more stars collected, one can climb up from the green status to gold

status. Through their loyalty star rewards that is accessible through the Starbucks app, as many

as 11 million active members (fortune) have been enticed to maintain or achieve the gold status

where one is able to enjoy anything on the menu for free. Not to mention their marketing strategy

of constantly emailing me double star days and discounted drink promotion codes lured me

into
consistently reloading my card to participate in such events. Overall, I would say their marketing
scheme does work. Even if one is not intrigued by their reward system, by downloading the app,
one can pay for their drink on their mobile device or order ahead and pick up their drink while
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skipping the lines. With the total of 11 million active users, many have chosen to go to Starbucks
instead of Dunkin’ Donuts as mobile app payment (6 million transactions a month) and skip the
line payment (1 million users) was more convenient (Kline). Within the months of downloading
this application, I have also seen myself within the 6 million transactions as I have found myself
using the mobile payment methods because it is more convenient than Tim Hortons. Thus, this
strategy draws me into this establishment more often than other coffee franchises.
Although Starbucks is known for their high-end prices of coffee, approximately five
dollars for a medium coffee compared to two dollars at Tim Hortons, one would believe their
coffee would be high quality as well. It doesn’t mean their coffee is bad, it’s decent. In my
opinion, I would go to Starbucks if I need a boost of caffeine and a new choice of flavor. I’m no
coffee expert, but I find Starbucks a bit over average. Compared to Tim Hortons, I find their
Double Double flat and dry while Starbucks coffee tastes a bit more round and well-balanced. I
tried many of their flavours, to Mocha, Caramel Macchiato, Iced Coffee, and to their specialty
drinks such as, Eggnog Latte and Peppermint Mocha though, I find that their drinks are not
geared towards creating a strong fresh coffee taste. Rather, their specialty drinks are covered
with milk and sweetener, reducing the taste of coffee beans but is there for caffeine reasons.
Starbucks states, “Exceptional coffee can only come from exceptional beans” (Starbucks: coffee
quality) to indicate they produce the highest quality standard of coffee contrasted to other
corporations such as Tim Hortons. But to my evaluation, I do not find a point in having so much
effort in creating ‘exceptional beans’ if it will be covered by sweetener. I have yet to try their
Americano or their shot of espresso to evaluate their coffee beans, but their Mocha’s and
Macchiato’s seem to have either a bit too much milk or water which unfortunately dilutes some
of the coffee’s taste.
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In short, Starbucks have set a standard for me as their vast number of drink options, calm
cozy café setting, quality coffee, and convenient coffee experiences have raised my expectations.
They created a website and phone application that attracts new and old customers back by
updating consumers about new specialty drinks, promotions, and information about their varied
high-quality coffee beans. As one of the top coffee chains worldwide in 2015 (Statista), their
website and phone app has made a big contribution to their success. Whenever I’m craving
coffee, I simply log into my Starbucks app and purchase a new flavour I have yet to try. I believe
that as a result of this marketing tactic that they would be first for years to come.