Video: Tim Hortons In-Store Dining Network

June 23, 2014 by Dave Haynes

The Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons is such a part of the cultural landscape up here that someone actually produces a very polished-looking independent blog called Inside Timmies.

Michael Tutton from Ontario Lottery came across a post about the chain’s in-store TV, which includes a video of the programming. This picks up on his Tweet.

I wrote about the content recently but did not take a video on my phone, as taking some stills led to a “What’s The Frequency Kenneth?” episode (look it up) with a customer. He actually followed me out into the parking lot and said he was calling the police because I took a photo of the screen. I encouraged him to do so … anyway … I’m now out of jail.

I mention all this because the video reinforces my earlier impressions about how this network NAILS programming for in-store dining networks. The content is beautifully presented. The rich, saturated colors look great. There’s not too much happening at any one time on the screen (except maybe the weather at the bottom … why?). The in-store WiFi is gently pushed. The programming celebrates community activities. It’s pushing customer feedback instead of more sales. And so on.

Compare that to a lot of in-store dining network screens that have little to do with the host and are just there based on audience (for the network operator) and the faint hope, for the store operator, of some worthwhile incremental revenue.

Nicely done Tims, and Cineplex!

The big Wow, money is no object projects out there tend to get much more attention, but it is simple, well-executed stuff like this that also deserves recognition.