The first Tim Hortons restaurant opened in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1964.
The restaurant was established by NHL defenseman Tim Horton and business partner Jim Charade. It began as a small coffee-and-doughnut shop and later expanded through a partnership involving Ron Joyce, who became a major figure in the company’s growth.
Hamilton was the starting point for a chain that eventually spread across Canada and into other countries. The original business model emphasized affordable coffee and baked goods rather than a large restaurant menu.
The opening year is sometimes confused with 1950, the year Dunkin’ was founded in Quincy, Massachusetts. These are separate companies with different origins: Tim Hortons began in Canada in 1964, while Dunkin’ began in the United States fourteen years earlier.