Tim Hortons is sticking with a growth strategy implemented before the pandemic that includes using fresh cracked eggs in breakfast sandwiches and a new dark roast coffee blend, said Duncan Fulton, an executive at parent Restaurant Brands International. Canada-based Tim Hortons reported an 18% drop in 2020 sales but says it expects consumers to return once the danger from COVID-19 has passed.

GUT's 60-second "Snowpeople" spot for Tim Hortons simply showcases a variety of snowmen that reflect the cultures of the diverse families who created them and ends with the line, "We're all made of the same snow." "Using snowpeople perfectly encapsulates the shared values of diversity, tolerance and inclusion Canada is known and celebrated for," said GUT's Juan Javier Pena Plaza and Ricardo Casal.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen fueled third-quarter growth at parent Restaurant Brands International, while sibling chains Burger King and Tim Hortons reported same-store sales declines. Popeyes reported a 19.7% same-store sales jump in the quarter ending Sept. 30, continuing to build on a sales boost from its popular chicken sandwich released last year.

The pandemic has caused Restaurant Brands International to adjust its growth plan, and the parent company of Popeyes, Burger King and Tim Hortons expects to shutter "several hundred more restaurants than we might in a typical year," CEO Jose Cil said. "Given the overall health of our systems and the opportunities we see emerging, we're confident that we'll have our development cycle back on track by the end of this year to deliver net restaurant growth in 2021, in line with what we delivered in 2018 and 2019," said Cil, who plans to grow the company's portfolio to 40,000 restaurants in the next decade.