RRROLL UP THE RIM !!! (Then throw it out. Repeat. Thanks.)

I saw four people sitting at a table in Tim Hortons, drinking coffee. They had the ceramic mugs you get when you don't order "to go". They also had four disposable paper cups, which were clean, but had been shredded for some reason.

Ah yes – the "RRROLL UP THE RIM TO WIN" contest. You rub and scratch the waxy rim of your coffee cup, not at all believing you'll win a boat or a TV, but excited about your 1-in-4 chance of another donut or coffee. Now THAT is an attainable prize, and you can redeem it right now.

So, about those four paper cups. They seemed pretty BIG to me, considering their sole purpose in this world was to inform four people that they didn't win a fast food lottery (three people, sorry - one of them probably did win another coffee).

Doesn't that seem just a little wasteful?

(I've even heard of customers asking for two cups (one inside the other), even though the Timmies will still only hand out one contest cup.)

Wouldn't it save money for Tim Hortons to offer an alternative way to enter their contest, for people who drink their coffee in the restaurant? ...I guess it's cheaper to use disposable paper cups than to compromise their branding. But, which decade is this?

I decided to tell the Timmies that I didn't need to rrroll up the rim, thanks, and just took my coffee in a mug and politely refused the paper cup.

But OOOOHH!! Wasn't this difficult?! Abandoning the chance to win something, just so a single cup didn't get wasted? I confess it took great resolve.

That's why, instead of compelling us to choose between a quarter of a donut and our integrity, the Timmies should offer an alternative way to enter the contest, when we don't use one of their paper cups. It would be cool if there was even some kind of incentive for people to bring their own travel mugs. With great power comes great responsibility.

I guess that, as usual, the company is just trying to provide what the consumer wants. And, too many of us consumers don't remember to think about this kind of thing, when we're thinking about our kids, or work, or looking at the Timmies girls.

By the way – those four wasted cups? They were extra-large. Please think about that for a moment.

Is it me?

• Free coffee when you redeem "Play Agains"
• Tim Hortons Launches Anti-Litter Campaign

• Rate this Post!

  Select Your Rating:

  • 5 Stars (Excellent!)
  • 4 Stars
  • 3 Stars
  • 2 Stars
  • 1 Stars (Poor)

• Share this Post

  Share With A Friend:

  Your Name Your Email

  Friend's Name Friend's Email

  Optional Message

  Send

• Print
• Social Bookmarking

  Add to Bookmarks: