Later this month, Tim Hortons will bring back its iconic Roll up to Win cups after a years-long hiatus.
What happened: According to the Canadian coffee chain, its customers have missed the excitement of rolling up a real rim ever since the game turned digital in 2020, to accommodate pandemic-era safety protocols.
Catch-up: When the contest was first launched in 1986, the prizes were capped at free coffee and baked goods. Today, the annual game has become a caffeine-powered lottery with vacations, cars, and gift cards on the table, and Canadians just can’t get enough of it.
- Some customers have been caught stealing boxes of Tim Hortons cups, while others have used their math skills to give themselves a statistical edge for winning prizes.
By the numbers: During the 2018 contest, the chain gave out roughly 216 million Roll Up coffee cups. After going digital, Canadians stayed involved, even if to a lesser degree. In 2021, over 2 million people downloaded the Tims app during the contest.
Why it matters: The game is a cultural ritual that has defined watercooler conversations and morning routines across the country for decades. As of 2021, more than 80% of Canadians had played, making it one of the most successful marketing campaigns in history.—LA