Originally Posted by
diburning
Tim Horton's on the other hand hasn't been the same since my childhood. It was my first time (that I could remember) in Toronto, and it was the first meal of my trip. It was pouring rain and we didn't want to eat at the hotel, so I spotted what appeared to be a Dunkin Donuts next door. Turned out to be a Tim Horton's and the menu was great, and I fondly remember how delicious the croissants were at Tim's. They were fresh baked, smelled nice, and were delightfully buttery and flaky.
And then as an adult, I went back (this is after a couple changes in ownership) and the croissants just weren't good at all.
Tim Horton's stopped "baking" donuts (I've been told they were par-baked then shipped) at sale location nearly 2 decades ago. Frozen and rewarmed since then. Big uproar then but regulars are addicted to the brand so keep it alive and healthy. I don't think I've been to one out of choice since around then.
Here in the US, Dunkin Donuts has had a similar change. The donuts used to be OK (they weren't great but they were at least passsable) because the donuts would be delivered in the morning, and the restaurant would bake them on site. Now they're just delivered ready to eat and they just haven't been the same. The other thing about Dunkin is that they used to be good. Now it's the cheapest quality ingredients possible, and they're just riding on local New England brand recognition, and possibly cult following. Dunkin has gone full fast food and now does new rotating fad sandwiches that never stay on the menu more than a few months.
Too bad. I had a hankering for them when I was out in the eastern U.S. some 3 decades ago. Hard to find (non-existent?) on the U.S. west coast (specifically "northern" NV, "northern" CA and Seattle north to the 49th parallel) so I haven't been to one in about the same time I last went to a Tim Horton's.