Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error

Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.

Ontario resident Shawn Baxter told CTV News Toronto that he received the email from the coffee chain on Wednesday afternoon advising him that’s he’d won a watercraft through the Roll up to Win contest.

“I was definitely excited and my wife was on her way out the door and I called her back,” he said.

“I was in a bit of shock. We verified the email address and it looked legit. It had listed everything that I won over the past contest … They all matched.”

Tim Hortons sent another email to all customers subscribed to its promotions on Wednesday afternoon stating the initial email was sent in error.

“We’re reaching out to let you know that technical errors may have resulted in incorrect information about rolls or prizes being included in your Roll Up to Win recap email which you received today,” the company stated.

“Unfortunately, some prizes that you did not win may have been included in the recap email you received. If this was the case, today’s email does not mean that you won those prizes.”

The company further stated that prizes won in the contest would have been revealed immediately when rolling up the rim, and any large value prize would have had a further “verification process.”

“We apologize for the frustration this has caused and for not living up to our high standards,” the company said in a statement to CTV News Toronto. 

Tim Hortons needs to do more than just explain what the error means, Baxter said, adding those impacted should be compensated.

“I mean, we're talking $65,000 boat and all of a sudden you're telling me ‘No, it's not mine,’” he said.

“You know, you go to a store and they post the wrong price. They take care of that and honour that price. … I’d like to see something from them, of course. Ideally the boat, but I doubt that’s going to happen.” 

A similar incident happened in March 2023 when customers were told in an email that they had won the company's jackpot draw, a $10,000 daily prize meant to be awarded to one person per day.

The company said at the time that it offered a $50 gift card as compensation to players who received the award notice. The company also said it was in the process of contacting the false winners to express "regret for the disappointment caused by this error."

“You think with all their checks that are in place with mass corporations before mass emails go out, you would think they would be correct,” Baxter said.