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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Freeland leaves capital gains tax change out of coming budget implementation bill, here's why
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Ontario woman surprised after 20-year-old fines suddenly tank credit score
An Ontario woman says that she was shocked when provincial fines from 20 years ago suddenly tanked her credit score last week, but the situation may not be as unusual as it seems, according to at least one debt expert.
Anger can harm your blood vessel function, study shows
Stress and anger can have a negative impact on cardiovascular health, studies have shown. New research points to just how the mechanism may work.
A 98-year-old in Ukraine walked miles to safety from Russians, with slippers and a cane
A 98-year-old woman in Ukraine who escaped Russian-occupied territory by walking almost 10 kilometres (six miles) alone, wearing a pair of slippers and supported by a cane has been reunited with her family days after they were separated while fleeing to safety.
Will an 'out of sight, out of mind' cellphone policy make a difference in Ontario schools?
Ontario’s cellphone ban in schools has been met with mixed reaction, with some teachers concerned about constant policing of kids and experts applauding the change as necessary for student learning.
A Utah couple accidentally shipped their cat with an Amazon return. A week -- and 3 'miracles' -- later, they were on a plane to meet a stranger
The Amazon returns employee wasn't at work the day one of her colleagues at a California warehouse found a small, furry stowaway in a box mailed six days earlier from Utah. But Brandy Hunter got the call anyway.
Dueling protesters clash at UCLA hours after police clear pro-Palestinian demonstration at Columbia
Dueling groups of protesters clashed Wednesday at the University of California, Los Angeles, grappling in fistfights and shoving, kicking and using sticks to beat one another. Hours earlier, police burst into a building at Columbia University that pro-Palestinian protesters took over and broke up a demonstration that had paralyzed the school while inspiring others.
Poilievre kicked out of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko'
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
Avalanche eliminate Winnipeg Jets from playoffs with 6-3 road win
Mikko Rantanen's first two goals of the playoffs propelled the Colorado Avalanche to a 6-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday that clinched their opening-round playoff series in five games.