Roll up the Rim to Win

Held annually in February, Roll up the Rim to Win is Tim Hortons (another one of our favourite Canadian things) biggest marketing campaign nationwide. The premise is simple; buy an eligible size of coffee, hot chocolate, tea, etc and when you’re done drinking it, roll up the paper rim to reveal if you’ve won a prize or not.

Image provided by: Calgary Reviews

The concept was introduced to Tim Hortons in 1985 when Lily Cup (their paper cup supplier) approached them with a new design that allowed messages to be printed under the rim of their cups. Tim Hortons jumped at the chance to boost spring time sales and launched the contest in 1986. Initially the prizes were just in store goods, but since have increased to new cars, televisions, gift cards and of course staying true to their roots, coffee and baked goods.

Roll up the Rim to Win is not without its drama though. There was a heated legal battle between two families over who the rightful winner of a Toyata Rav 4 was. Long story short; 10 year old girl finds cup in trash and asks 12 year old girl to roll the rim for her. Toyota Rav 4 is the prize, families fight for who the winner is and a lawyer comes out of nowhere and says DNA test for who actually drank the beverage. The prize was eventually awarded to the family of the girl who found the cup. Another issue popped up in 2015 when Tim Hortons added pin codes to winning cups. Winners were disappointed after tearing off the prize tab and being denied the prize because they were missing the pin code. Advice: if you roll up a winner, just keep the whole cup.

Canada 150 Roll up the Rim to Win cup from Tim Hortons with a donut prize!

Tim Hortons is running a special edition of Roll Up The Rim for Canada’s 150^th birthday this year. So be sure to head out to your local Tim’s and grab a cup of Joe to enjoy while reading more of our 150 favourite Canadian things. 

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Tim Hortons

What can you say about a country where one of their most iconic symbols is a coffee shop, and where a phrase synonymous with that coffee shop, "Double-Double" (meaning a coffee with two cream and two sugar) has been enshrined as an official word in the dictionary. Well, all you can really say is that Canada is awesome, because anything less would be simply untrue.

Canadians buy more coffee from food service than any other country in the world, and eight of every 10 of those cups are bought at Tim Hortons. Indeed, almost one in five Canadians goes to Tim Hortons daily (that is insane, but in an awesome way). This equates to the chain serving over two billion cups of coffee every year.

It is not rare to see Facebook or Instagram posts of ex-pats or even those who have simply been outside of Canada for vacation post a picture of their favourite cup upon their return to native soil with the caption, "oh, how I have missed thee."

Tim Hortons' success can be chalked up to nothing short of a cultural phenomenon. The coffee has consistently received poor reviews by experts, the food is nothing more than soups, sandwiches and donuts (that are on the small side), the popularity means there is always a wait to get your cup, and the chain isn't even Canadian-owned anymore. Nonetheless, Canadians flock to Tims by the millions every day, which is likely why they need one location for every 9000 Canadians!

Maybe its the 18% cream, but I prefer to think it is another way that Canadians enjoy simple pleasures. Tims is a meeting place, a constant in a crazy world; it is home, in the same way your favourite thread-bare easy chair is home, consistent, comfortable and rich with memories. That's why there is no better way to show a Canadian love than by bringing them a steaming hot cup of Timmies.



What is 150 of our favourite Canadian things? Read about it here

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5 Father's Day Gift Ideas for the Dad Who Thinks He's Outdoorsy

5 Father's Day Gift Ideas for the Dad Who Thinks He's Outdoorsy

This is a list geared toward dads who love the outdoors and spending good old fashioned National Lampoons-style family time together. These dads like shore lunches and peeing outside. Here is the list of 5 Father's Day Gift Idea for the dad who thinks he is outdoorsy.

1. Duct tape - $5  

I can remember walking home for lunch in high school; my mom would make my friends and I a grilled cheese sandwich each and we would catch an episode of the Red Green Show. I remember when he would build things and secure the parts with duct tape. "The Handyman's Secret Weapon" will always have its place in your dad's toolbox. It is also handy to pack in your camping gear. You never know when you may blow a boot. Just slap a piece of duct tape over that hole and voila! Just like new.

2. Coleman Coffee Maker - $70 - $170

Coffee without electricity!! It can be done with the Coleman coffee maker. It may not be compact like a French press, but I own one of these suckers and it is worth the weight and space to have the sweeet nectar of the gods brewing on a cool summer morning. Chances are, if your dad thinks he's outdoorsy, he will love this.

CONTEST: Win a $125 Travel Shave Kit from @KingsCrown and @RealManTravels by tweeting the URL of this post, with the hidden hashtag #RMTOutdoorsDad and mention @KingsCrown1774 and @RealManTravels. You can also Like us on Facebook and post the hidden hashtag #RMTOutdoorsDad to our page for a bonus entry! Winner to be announced June 19th, 2015. Contest is only open to Canadian residents. More details here: Contest Details

3. Bear Grylls Survival Knife - $40 

When I came up with the idea of our annual Man of the Year camping trip I found this knife at the store and quickly bought it. It has several uses and makes you feel safe and protected when in the wilderness. It has been featured on our other gift guides as well, so you know we love it.

4. Lucky Strike Victor Spoon - $4

I was introduced to Lucky Strike lures by my brother-in-law when I was younger and I was shocked by the amount of fish we would catch with them. With this lure and a worm I have caught pike, bass, walleye and perch. If your dad likes to fish, this is a must try/buy.

5. Zero Gravity Chair - $40+

Imagine taking a nap in the summer shade. Now imagine taking that nap in space! That is the beauty of this chair, it is the ultimate lawn chair. I have slept entire nights in one of these chairs, and dads love naps. This will be a direct hit on the bulls-eye.

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5 Father's Day Gift Ideas for the Man's Man

The first guy you call when something breaks wasn't born this handy. He was forged in the early years of your childhood as you ran room to room like a little tornado. A hammer and some nails, or maybe super glue to side step the wrath of your mother. Some duct tape and a pillow for child proofing. Now he has a tool box full of things that even Tim "the tool man" Taylor would drool over, and you can't even comprehend what they all do. No ordinary gift will properly say "thank you" to the man who raised you, but these ones might just be a start.

Digital Meat Thermometer ($35+) - He's been grilling steaks medium rare since he was in diapers, but occasionally a guest requests medium well. This handy gadget will have him reigning supreme over the grill for decades to come

Boto Swimwear ($65) - This dad isn't shopping for O'Neill board shorts and damn sure he isn't showing off his "dadbod" in a Speedo. Boto brings a simple style to mens swimwear that your dad will appreciate...unlike your hip hop music, or those neighbor kids who wont get off his lawn!

CONTEST: Win a $125 Travel Shave Kit from @KingsCrown and @RealManTravels by tweeting the URL of this post, with the hidden hashtag #RMTManlyDad and mention @KingsCrown1774 and @RealManTravels. You can also Like us on Facebook and post the hidden hashtag #RMTManlyDad to our page for a bonus entry! Winner to be announced June 19th, 2015. Contest is only open to Canadian residents. More details here: Contest Details

Stanley Fubar  ($32) - For the dad that has every tool, there's the Fubar. A tool that, when put in the right hands, can far surpass the 4-in-1 claims of its creator while earning its name's acronym.

Chillsner Gift Box Set ($37) - No man deserves a warm beer, but certainly not one that walked up hill both ways to work to put food on the table for you and your family. For the man who just wants an hour with the TV and an ice cold beer at the end of a day, I suggest the Chillsner gift box set.

Tassimo Coffee Maker ($100+) - Time is money, and your dad doesn't have time to waste waiting on a regular pot of coffee to brew. This device will have coffee brewed hot and fresh at the push of a button to start his day on time.

There you have it, five Father's Day gift ideas for the manly man in your life. If you are going to pick up one of these items for your dad, or have another suggestion, let us know in the comments below.

Cheers,

Sam

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