Tim Hortons Halfway Through Massive Drive-Thru Display Refresh; Using Samsung, Melitron, STRATACACHE

April 29, 2021 by Dave Haynes

Winning big deployment deals with big brands is a wonderful thing for just about any technology vendor, but it often comes with the proviso that the vendor can’t make any PR noise about it.

Most vendors have big or even whale clients they only talk about in conversations, and don’t list those clients on websites or mention in press releases.

Here’s a case of a couple of suppliers getting the OK from a major QSR to note a BIG drive-thru display rollout. Samsung has pushed out press this morning about it being roughly halfway through supplying its high-bright outdoor displays for a rollout of 2,600 digital drive-thrus with Tim Hortons in Canada.

The program is a modernization effort by the coffee/bakery chain, which relied very heavily on drive-thru business even before COVID-19 forced indoor dining areas to shut down.

“Increased digital signage adoption at drive-thru areas reflects a commitment among today’s quick-service restaurants to provide an improved customer experience,” says Mary Peterson, VP IT & Enterprise Solutions for Samsung up in Canada. “We ’re proud to partner with Tim Hortons to provide innovative outdoor digital signage at even more of its drive-thru locations this year, maximizing customer engagement through product durability, flexibility and 24/7 performance.” 

The chain is using Samsung’s self-contained outdoor display series, and are going in enclosures designed and manufactured by a Canadian enclosures firm, Melitron.

The display units are all driven by STRATACACHE’s Spectra Media Players and ActiVia AMP5 software. STRATACACHE has the full tech stack outside of the display glass.

“The Tim Hortons drive-thru network is the largest in the country and offers Canadians a contactless, quick way to grab their favourite coffee and food on the go. Samsung’s technology is playing an important part in our vision to modernize the guest experience and we’re excited to be installing outdoor digital menu boards in our drive-thru restaurants,” says Chris Main, VP Restaurant Technology for Timmies.

The chain has more than 4,800 restaurants in Canada, the US and around the world, with 4,000 in Canada. In places like Hamilton, Ontario, home to the first Tims, you can stand on a street corner and see three Timmies stores or kiosks in gas stations.

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