Tim Horton's (University Avenue Edition)

I got my bachelor's degree attending the University at Buffalo thus Tim Horton's was an option for breakfast, lunch and dinner that I often used. Buffalo is overrun with Tim Horton's like it's overrun with Mighty Taco, Jim's Steakout and horrible, crippling urban blight that no one really cares to do anything about. The food at Timmy Ho's was decent, the prices were fairly low and service was fast.

So when the Tim Horton's on University Ave. opened, I was hesitant. I didn't have fond memories of Buffalo and Timmy Ho's was a link to a place that I vocally disliked. Dunkin Donuts was fulfilling my breakfast needs just fine, thank you very much.

But then one day, on the way to work, I was like, "Bah!" and I stopped by to reminisce over the old days of eating so goddamn many of those breakfast sandwiches that I could pick out how long the egg patty sat in a chemical bath to kill all the nutrients and bacteria that might grow while it's sitting, unrefrigerated beneath a pile of dirty dishes.

First off, I was taken aback how friendly the staff was. They repeated my order and they got it right (the first time!)! The service was fast and the coffee was just as delicious as I had remembered.

Clearly, the staff must be comprised of Canadians from the Tim Horton's Mothership because they are just so nice and, seemingly, happy to have you come to their store to get a drink and a bite.

Fine, I thought. They bring in the heavy hitters at the opening so everything goes smoothly and they establish a good reputation. I can't wait until I pull up and hear something like, "Whaddyawant?" spoken in the most loathsome, please-don't-know-me tone the 18 year old who's doing this can muster up.

I'm still waiting for that day and it's been almost a year since I've started going to Timmy Ho's for my coffee in the morning. In fact, it's the same staff that's been there from the start. And they remain as friendly as ever. I'm wondering if their Canadian families are missing them, yet.