In which country did Tim Hortons originate?

Tim Hortons originated in Canada, beginning in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1964. The chain was founded by Canadian ice hockey player Tim Horton and businessman Jim Charade.

The first doughnut-focused location opened on May 17, 1964, at 65 Ottawa Street North in Hamilton. Although the business later became famous for coffee, its early identity centered on doughnuts and was originally associated with names such as Tim Horton Donuts. The original Hamilton location is widely treated as the chain’s birthplace.

Ron Joyce joined the business soon afterward and became an important figure in its expansion. After Horton died in 1974, Joyce took control and grew the company from a small regional chain into a major Canadian food-service brand.

Tim Hortons now operates internationally and is owned by Restaurant Brands International, which can make its national origin less obvious. Its presence in the United States and other countries does not change the fact that the company began in Canada. Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States were later markets, not its country of origin.