Tims aims to avoid Roll Up the Rim drama with 'pre-cup'

Tim Hortons has introduced the Roll Up the Rim pre-cup contract.

Roll Up the Rim to Win is back, and this year Tim Hortons is looking to avoid any drama when it comes to the millions of prizes Canadian coffee-lovers could potentially win.

The company has introduced the Roll Up the Rim pre-cup contract. Similar to a pre-nup, the pre-cup aims to clear up any confusion over who's entitled to that free coffee or doughnut.

The detailed contract outlines whether the recipient, known as the "Happy Roller," or the purchaser, a.k.a. the "Well-Wisher," would be entitled to a car, a pre-paid Visa card, a Tim Card or a food prize, if a winning cup is purchased.

"It may help avoid those awkward situations like unfriending on Facebook, being blocked on Twitter or getting the cold shoulder at parties," the contract states.

The contract, available online or via Facebook, also notes the pre-cup contract is in no way legally binding.

Tim Hortons has upped the Roll Up the Rim ante this year, adding a bonus roll in honour of the chain's 50th anniversary.

In addition to the standard roll, a bonus roll is labelled with a blue arrow to indicate where to roll up the rim for a chance to win one of 10 additional cars that are up for grabs.

Tim Hortons to unveil new 5-year strategy

The enhanced Roll Up the Rim to Win contest comes ahead of Tim Hortons’ 2013 fourth-quarter results, which will be released Thursday.

Chief executive officer Marc Caira is also expected to outline the company’s new strategic plan at an investors’ conference on Feb. 25.

In the third quarter, Tim Hortons said same-store sales were up 1.7 per cent in Canada and three per cent in the U.S. The company said the growth resulted from new restaurant openings in the two countries.

However, fourth-quarter results could be disappointing as an ice storm in Ontario and poor weather in Quebec led to power outages and store closures during what would otherwise have been a busy holiday season.

Analysts predict the average earnings per share will come in at 77 cents.

"Our outlook for Tims is unchanged heading into the fourth-quarter release, as negative traffic in Canada remains a concern," Barclays analyst Jim Durran said in a note.

Caira told The Canadian Press last year that one of his biggest concerns is customer service, ensuring quick, accurate help to patrons in order to guarantee return visits.

"Future battles are not going to be won, in my view, with who has the best strategy or who has the best innovation," he said.

"The companies that will win will be the companies that can execute flawlessly at the store level."

Changes could include a loyalty program, store renovations to offer more lounging areas, as well as power outlets for customers to charge their laptops, phones and tablets. Menu changes could also be on the horizon, including a second coffee blend.

Past contest conflicts

While the pre-cup campaign is a playful way to drum up excitement around the annual Tims contest, now in its 28th year, conflicts over the prizes have landed before lawyers in the past.

In 2006 a 10-year-old girl found a discarded Tims cup in the trash can of her Quebec school. Unable to roll up the rim to see if she had won a prize, she got a 12-year-old friend to help her. It turns out the girls had a winning cup in their hands and a Toyota SUV was up for grabs.

The parents of the 12-year-old claimed that they were entitled to half of the value of the car. Then, a school custodian claimed he had bought the coffee and thrown away the cup.

Tim Hortons got their own lawyers involved and ultimately decided that finders keepers was appropriate in this case, and the parents of the 10-year-old girl who found the cup would be given the grand prize.

That same year, two hairdressers in Sault Ste. Marie happily shared the SUV prize, worth almost $30,000, after one of the women purchased the winning cup for the other.

Roll Up the Rim to Win runs at Tim Hortons restaurants across Canada and the United States from February 17 to April 25, or until cup supplies last.