Tim Hortons launches rewards credit card in Canada
Canada’s favourite coffee chain, Tim Hortons, is giving you a new way to earn points toward free double-doubles with the Tims Credit Card.
The reward credit card, which was launched on July 24th, 2023, offers Tims Rewards points on all purchases and offers at least one unexpected feature. Here’s what we know about the Tims Credit Card.
What is Tim Horton's reward program and how does it work?
Tims Rewards is a mobile app-based loyalty program that rewards you for shopping at Tim Hortons. When you order with the app or scan your card in-store at Tim Hortons, you earn 10 points for every dollar you spend. You can then redeem your points for Tim Hortons menu items at an average value of 0.44¢ per point – roughly 233 points to one dollar.
When you sign up for Tims Rewards, you also get special offers and an annual surprise on your birthday. A membership is also now required to play the venerable Roll Up To Win contest.
What does the Tim Hortons' new credit card offer?
The Tims Credit Card bears the Mastercard badge and is provided by Neo Financial. The card has no annual fee and interest rates starting at 20.99%.
With the Tims Credit Card, you’ll be able to earn Tims Rewards points on every dollar you spend. With a typical spending profile*, you can earn approximately $234 worth of food and drinks at Tim Hortons every year.
Methodology
You’ll earn the most points when you use your card at Tim Hortons where you’ll earn 12 Tims Reward points per dollar spent as long as you scan for Tims Rewards. On top of that, you’ll earn 5 points per dollar spent on gas, groceries, public transportation including Uber, and electric vehicle charging. Everywhere else, you’ll earn 1 point for every $2 you spend.
There are limits to the rewards categories. After a maximum spend of $20,000 per year (enough to earn 100,000 points), you’ll earn points at the base rate of ½ point per dollar spent until your anniversary.
The Tims Credit Card comes with basic perks provided by Mastercard including extended warranty, purchase protection, and zero liability for unauthorized transactions.
Drink coffee and build credit
A secured version of the Tims Credit Card was made available for students, newcomers, and people with bad credit or no credit history. By providing security funds upfront, you’ll be able to get the Tims Credit Card and build your credit at the same time.
You can still earn points with the secured version of the Tims Credit Card, but at a reduced rate. Gas, grocery, transit and electric vehicle charging is rewarded with 2 points per dollar spent, while all other purchases are rewarded with 1 point per $2 spent.
Tim Hortons is the latest in a sting of changes to the rewards credit card landscape
Tim Hortons joining the credit card game is just the latest in a series of changes to Canadian credit cards and loyalty programs.
After Air Miles was ditched by many of its biggest retail partners including Sobeys, Safeway, Staples, Rexall and Lowes, BMO announced it would purchase the program out of bankruptcy. That acquisition was completed earlier this month, and changes to the Air Miles program are expected to begin in the near future.
The critical blow in Air Miles’ chaos was Sobeys decision to adopt Scotiabank’s Scene+ program. In the changeover, Scotiabank rearranged the rewards categories for some of its top credit cards. Its top offer now pays 6 Scene+ points per dollar spent at Sobeys-owned grocery stores, which include Safeway, FreshCo and Foodland, when you use the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card.
Other notable changes in the last few years include Costco its credit card partner from Capital One to CIBC, Rogers launching its new Rogers Connections Mastercard, and the Esso Extra program completing its merger with PC Optimum.
What are the benefits of a rewards credit card?
Rewards credit cards let you earn points for purchasing things you were going to buy anyway. With an average monthly spend of $2,500, you can earn hundreds of dollars per year in rewards.
For example, spending $2,500 per month using the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card will earn you $446 worth of points in the first year. Plus it comes with loads of travel benefits like travel medical insurance, a $100 annual travel credit, mobile device insurance, and discounts on rental cars.
The bottom line
The Tims Credit Card is now available and is poised to dramatically increase the amount of coffee I drink. For a limited time, Canadians who apply for a new Tims Credit card are eligible to receive a welcome offer of up to 5,000 Tim Rewards Points.