Tim Hortons is a restaurant chain more well known in Canada where 3,315 of its units are located compared with 721 in the U.S. and 6 in the Gulf Cooperation Council. More than 2,000 of its Canadian units are going to be offering customers free Wi-Fi connections for their smartphone or tablet to connect to. The service is being offered in cooperation with Bell Canada which was selected by the restaurant chain after a six-month testing process with other carriers. According to the chain, the tests showed that Bell Canada provided "fast and reliable" service.
"It's all about convenience and making life easier for our guests."Free wireless Internet at Tim Hortons will help people stay connected on the road in more locations than anyone in Canada and is yet another great reason to visit one of our restaurants to enjoy a fresh cup of coffee."-Roland Walton, Chief Operations Officer, Tim Hortons
Previous initiatives by Tim Hortons were based on getting customers to spend the most money in the shortest amount of time. Wi-Fi tends to bring in customers who linger over a cup of Joe and a tablet or laptop. It's also a way to lower the demographics of the chain by attracting a younger crowd
"It's a coffee pub concept," Evans says, aimed at getting a younger demographic of customers who wouldn't ordinarily consider Tim Hortons for more than a quick cup to come in and hang around. Tim's has a sort of captive demographic a lot of the time, based on the location of their stores, along truck stops and in smaller towns. [But] that typical business doesn't attract the younger clients in to stay. If you're going to have coffee shops in the city, you've got to be doing this, you've got to be in this space."-Wendy Evans, retail consultant
Other chains have used free Wi-Fi successfully to draw in a younger crowd. Back in 2010, McDonalds started offering free Wi-Fi at many of its locations and Denny's, known for its elderly clientele, also offers free Wi-Fi connectivity to many of its diners in a bid to grab younger diners. source: TimHorton, CBC, Engadget
More than 2,000 Tim Hortons units in Canada will offer free Wi-Fi to customers
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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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