The Tim Hortons franchise is a Canadian restaurant chain known for its coffee, doughnuts and connection to Canada’s national identity. Its namesake, Toronto Maple Leaf's defenseman Tim Horton, founded the business along with Montréal businessman Jim Charade. The first Tim Hortons doughnut franchise was opened in Hamilton, Ontario, in April 1964. Since that time, Tim Hortons has become Canada’s largest restaurant chain, operating thousands stores across the country. In 1995, American fast-food chain Wendy’s bought Tim Hortons in a partnership that lasted until 2006. Then in 2014, the chain was again purchased by a foreign company, this time by Brazilian firm 3G Capital, which is known for its ownership of Burger King. Despite foreign ownership, Tim Hortons remains a Canadian cultural phenomenon to this day. The selection of new Tim Hortons restaurant owners is a most important decision involving an extensive interview process. This means that not everyone who applies for a franchise meets the criteria to be a Tim Hortons restaurant owner. The company strives strive to ensure that each restaurant owner possesses the necessary entrepreneurial drive, management skills, financial means and dedication which is required in today's competitive market. The company is proud of our dedicated restaurant owners chainwide, who exemplify and execute the Tim Hortons' principles and standards of operation on a daily basis. It carefully select hands-on owner/operators, who will devote their efforts on a full-time, long term basis to operating their restaurant. The company's experience over many years of operation has indicated strongly that a spousal team, or a team of two or more immediate family members, are the key to effectively managing a successful 24-hour operation. In fact, 95% of our restaurant owners operate a true family enterprise.