Tim Hortons’ “Roll Up the Rim to Win” contest is returning, but not in the way Canadian coffee-drinkers will remember it.
The 35-year-old promotion is getting a drastic makeover, including a shortened lifespan of only four weeks. It will also focus heavily on digital integration and sustainability.
The company says Roll Up the Rim to Win will begin March 11 and run through April 7, with physical “roll-up” cups available only for the first two weeks of the contest.
“We listened to the feedback from our guests, who wanted us to modernize the program,” said Hope Bagozzi, chief marketing officer, Tim Hortons, in a news release.
“We will reward guests who make the sustainable choice by using a reusable cup and scanning their Tims Rewards card with three digital rolls. We have also given everyone extra chances to win by replacing please play again with weekly $100,000 draws for guests who don’t reveal a winning digital roll.”
While Roll Up the Rim to Win may seem like a better version of itself, it will have significantly fewer prizes to win than previous years. Tims’ officials say digital and cup prizing will be valued at $29.9 million, down from $71.3 million in 2019.
How to play digitally
Customers who are registered Tims Rewards members can scan their card or app to receive a digital roll in the Tim Hortons app or online. For the first two weeks of the contest, guests will get two rolls when ordering a hot beverage when they scan their Tims Rewards card — one on the cup and one on the app. For the last two weeks of the contest, Roll Up the Rim can only be played on the app or online.
If a customer’s Tims Rewards card isn’t registered, the rolls will accumulate on their card, and can be accessed when the card is registered. Unregistered Tims Rewards members have until April 21 to register their card to be able to reveal digital rolls.
Free reusable cups
In an effort to move towards a more sustainable approach, Tim Hortons is giving away 1.8 million reusable hot beverage cups starting March 10. Guests who purchase a hot beverage in a reusable cup or mug will receive three digital rolls for all four weeks of the contest.
Contest summary
Contest Weeks | Buying a Hot Beverage | Rolls |
Weeks 1 and 2 | Roll Up The Rim paper cup only | 1 roll (on cup) |
Roll Up The Rim paper cup + Tim Hortons app | 2 rolls (cup + app) | |
Weeks 3 and 4 | Regular paper cup + Tim Hortons app | 1 roll (on the app) |
All 4 weeks | Reusable cup + Tim Hortons app | 3 rolls (on the app) |
Tim Hortons reported slumping profits in the last quarter and the watered-downed incarceration of Roll Up the Rim to Win will save the company millions in costs associated with the promotion.
