6 ms·

Burger King in Talks to Buy Tim Hortons

26 points by julee04 12y ago

maerF0x0 12y ago
julee04, how to get by paywall?
- joshstaiger 12y ago
  Google search the headline, then click on the first result.
- Spoom 12y ago
  Alternative non-paywall source: http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/burger-king-in-talks-to-buy-tim-hortons/ http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/burger-king-in-talks-...
dunno 12y ago
If this goes through, Canada might as well just join the union. You guys like Hockey, right?
- stonemetal 12y ago
  Field hockey or ice hockey?
- PeterWhittaker 12y ago
  Sure. We'll convert each province to a state, take our 20 Senators, and get you real socialized medicine ASAP. (OK, to be fair, the Maritimes can be one state, so 16 Senators - but Quebec will likely want more in respect of its distinctiveness, so make it 24 Senators. And we'll need at least 2 bilingual justices on SCOTUS, and at least 4 SCOTUS justices will need to have been trained in civil law. Oh, and we repeal the second amendment, of course, then put in place our amendment process. You're just going to love it. But you'll gain from better copyright and patent laws. Not to mention all the comedians who cannot get Green Cards for various reasons. Then again, if it means you keep Celine, we'll stay the way we are, thanks.)
fleitz 12y ago
Sweet! Seriously startups, come to Canada, free healthcare, lower taxes, and you get major portions of your R&D costs refunded. (Yes, refunded, as in if you spend $1 million, and don't make ANY income, you get $500-700K back)
- maxsilver 12y ago
  And how does a startup do that, if they aren't already Canadian citizens (or well funded).
  - starburst 12y ago
    You just wait and you'll receive plenty of solicitation from so called R&D company that exists specifically to exploit this program. I've seen a company get reimbursed ten of thousands for a few line of javascript doing nothing. I know this in the software industry and it could very well helps legitimate enterprise but this is really a huge scam with a lot of taxpayer money going to waste.
    - deleted 12y ago
      [deleted]
  - cbhl 12y ago
    Canada's Start-up Visa Program: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/business/start-up/index.asp?utm_source=slash-startup&utm_medium=short-url&utm_campaign=generic http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/business/start-up/ind... If you're in the SF area, you may remember these billboards from last year: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-10/canada-tells-geeks-to-flee-silicon-valley-head-north.html http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-10/canada-tells-geeks-...
- moggflunkies 12y ago
  lol
- adventured 12y ago
  Not to mention Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal are all dramatically safer, and nicer than most major US cities. Canada is also mostly lacking the police state brutality we're seeing increasing persistently in major US cities. Seriously considering seeking dual citizenship and looking at Vancouver. I don't know a lot about the process yet, other than having researched the tax consequences. The US has most of the burdens of a huge welfare state, without most of the amenities.
bhouston 12y ago
Fun fact, Tim Hortons makes most of its money on its coffee, where the markup is obscene. The rest of its offerings (which are considerable) are considered to be nearly loss leaders by franchise operators.
- joezydeco 12y ago
  A lot of fast-food restaurants operate on the same margins, with soft-drinks as the profit generator.
  - robotpony 12y ago
    Drinks and french fries represent the largest margins, but profit on other items (in the restaurants I managed) was solid as well. I think the misnomer is that soft drinks and fries have huge margins, and that foodstuff has standard foodservice margins. Back in the day soft drinks cost ~.15 for a 32oz/1L serving, which sold for ~1.50 (including cup/straw/ice, Canada, 90s). Fry portions (large) were somewhere in the ~.20 range and sold for ~1.80. Burgers were generally 30-40% food costs (and 30-40% overhead). Not as profitable, but far from unprofitable (given the large volume sold).
- bmh_ca 12y ago
  Believe it or not... this is not true. I talked to a former chief-level fellow at Tims after he gave a keynote at a conference I attended. He said they still make more money per unit on donuts. It's where they started and it's where they remain most efficient. It is a common misconception (one I made myself, until corrected). Tims branched into coffee, but their core is donuts. Coffee has opportunities to improve, apparently.
danans 12y ago
Perhaps with their combined strengths, they can produce the Luther Burger at scale: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Burger http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Burger

26 points by julee04 12y ago

maerF0x0 12y ago

julee04, how to get by paywall?

joshstaiger 12y ago
Google search the headline, then click on the first result.
Spoom 12y ago
Alternative non-paywall source: http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/burger-king-in-talks-to-buy-tim-hortons/ http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/burger-king-in-talks-...

dunno 12y ago

If this goes through, Canada might as well just join the union. You guys like Hockey, right?

stonemetal 12y ago
Field hockey or ice hockey?
PeterWhittaker 12y ago
Sure. We'll convert each province to a state, take our 20 Senators, and get you real socialized medicine ASAP. (OK, to be fair, the Maritimes can be one state, so 16 Senators - but Quebec will likely want more in respect of its distinctiveness, so make it 24 Senators. And we'll need at least 2 bilingual justices on SCOTUS, and at least 4 SCOTUS justices will need to have been trained in civil law. Oh, and we repeal the second amendment, of course, then put in place our amendment process. You're just going to love it. But you'll gain from better copyright and patent laws. Not to mention all the comedians who cannot get Green Cards for various reasons. Then again, if it means you keep Celine, we'll stay the way we are, thanks.)

fleitz 12y ago

Sweet! Seriously startups, come to Canada, free healthcare, lower taxes, and you get major portions of your R&D costs refunded. (Yes, refunded, as in if you spend $1 million, and don't make ANY income, you get $500-700K back)

maxsilver 12y ago
And how does a startup do that, if they aren't already Canadian citizens (or well funded).
- starburst 12y ago
  You just wait and you'll receive plenty of solicitation from so called R&D company that exists specifically to exploit this program. I've seen a company get reimbursed ten of thousands for a few line of javascript doing nothing. I know this in the software industry and it could very well helps legitimate enterprise but this is really a huge scam with a lot of taxpayer money going to waste.
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
- cbhl 12y ago
  Canada's Start-up Visa Program: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/business/start-up/index.asp?utm_source=slash-startup&utm_medium=short-url&utm_campaign=generic http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/business/start-up/ind... If you're in the SF area, you may remember these billboards from last year: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-10/canada-tells-geeks-to-flee-silicon-valley-head-north.html http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-10/canada-tells-geeks-...
moggflunkies 12y ago
lol
adventured 12y ago
Not to mention Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal are all dramatically safer, and nicer than most major US cities. Canada is also mostly lacking the police state brutality we're seeing increasing persistently in major US cities. Seriously considering seeking dual citizenship and looking at Vancouver. I don't know a lot about the process yet, other than having researched the tax consequences. The US has most of the burdens of a huge welfare state, without most of the amenities.

bhouston 12y ago

Fun fact, Tim Hortons makes most of its money on its coffee, where the markup is obscene. The rest of its offerings (which are considerable) are considered to be nearly loss leaders by franchise operators.

joezydeco 12y ago
A lot of fast-food restaurants operate on the same margins, with soft-drinks as the profit generator.
- robotpony 12y ago
  Drinks and french fries represent the largest margins, but profit on other items (in the restaurants I managed) was solid as well. I think the misnomer is that soft drinks and fries have huge margins, and that foodstuff has standard foodservice margins. Back in the day soft drinks cost ~.15 for a 32oz/1L serving, which sold for ~1.50 (including cup/straw/ice, Canada, 90s). Fry portions (large) were somewhere in the ~.20 range and sold for ~1.80. Burgers were generally 30-40% food costs (and 30-40% overhead). Not as profitable, but far from unprofitable (given the large volume sold).
bmh_ca 12y ago
Believe it or not... this is not true. I talked to a former chief-level fellow at Tims after he gave a keynote at a conference I attended. He said they still make more money per unit on donuts. It's where they started and it's where they remain most efficient. It is a common misconception (one I made myself, until corrected). Tims branched into coffee, but their core is donuts. Coffee has opportunities to improve, apparently.

danans 12y ago

Perhaps with their combined strengths, they can produce the Luther Burger at scale: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Burger http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Burger