Tim Hortons customers subject to ‘technical error’ incorrectly saying they’d won $10K

TORONTO –

Some Tim Hortons prospects who have been advised that they had received $10,000 from the espresso chain’s well-liked Roll Up To Win contest at the moment are being notified that the prize message was a glitch.

The espresso and doughnut chain mentioned Wednesday that for a number of hours on Monday — the competition’s first day — a “small subset” of gamers have been incorrectly notified that they’d received the corporate’s jackpot draw, a $10,000 every day prize meant to be awarded to 1 particular person per day.

The firm added that it has provided a $50 present card as compensation to gamers who acquired the misguided award discover and is within the technique of contacting the false winners “to express our regret for the disappointment caused by this error.”

Moncton paramedic Luc Masse was amongst those that thought that they had received an enormous prize solely to be told of the technical subject.

He has but to be provided a $50 present card as an apology and feels it isn’t a good provide.

“A company like Tim Hortons is recognized as a nationwide brand that people love and cherish. Everybody waits every year for this, Roll up the Rim To Win… and then the first day this happens,” he mentioned.

“It kind of leaves a bad taste in your mouth, so to speak. Glitch or not, it shows that I won and I’d like them to honour it.”

Masse, who mentioned he stops by Tims for a espresso most days he is at work, believed he received a $10,000 American Express pay as you go card on Monday, when he logged onto the app after reaching his paramedic base.

Tim Hortons’ annual spring prize contest — as soon as referred to as Roll up the Rim To Win — went totally digital in 2021, swapping out printed messages beneath rolled up espresso rims for scanning a loyalty card or app.

Customers now scan the Tim Hortons app on their smartphone on the time of buy to earn a “roll” that might reveal a prize like “free doughnut,” or scan a loyalty card and later log into the competition’s web site to see the rolls and prizes they’ve earned.

After Masse’s winner notification appeared, the app froze, however not earlier than he managed to take a screenshot he despatched to his spouse, saying ‘How’s your Monday morning going? Here’s mine.”

His colleagues have been simply as excited.

“I was like, ‘oh my God, I think I won’ and then I showed them the message and they were like, ‘holy, I think you did.”

Masse contacted the Tim Hortons location he had purchased his espresso at that day, who directed him to customer support quantity, the place somebody advised me “it was a technical glitch and there’s nothing you could do.”

He’s disenchanted with the response and admits it’d have an effect on how typically he visits.

“Tim Horton is my coffee. It’s my go-to place for coffee, especially when I work, but honestly I haven’t been since Monday,” he mentioned.

“Will I go again? It’s a possibility. How long in between? I have no idea.”

The technical glitch Masse skilled comes after Tim Hortons reached a proposed settlement final yr in a number of class motion lawsuits alleging the restaurant’s cell app violated buyer privateness.

As a comfort, the restaurant provided a free espresso and doughnut to affected customers.

— With information from Brett Bundale in Halifax

This report by The Canadian Press was first printed March 8, 2023.