Flies on donuts at Tim Hortons

So I was at Tim's last week because I received a gift card. There were flies in the donut case, so I told the cashier.

Me: There are flies in the donut case.
Cashier 1: next customer!
Me: There are flies in the donut case.
Cashier 1: Your sandwich will be over there! [point to left, exit area]
Me: There is a fly on the apple fritter right now.
Worker pouring coffee: Hello. [smile]
Me: [walked to next cashier]
Cashier 2: What can I get you today?
Me: I'm just waiting, but I want to tell you that there are flies in the donut case.
Cashier 2: Okay.
Me: There is a fly on the apple fritter right now. [point to flies]
Cashier 2: Okay.
Me: There are flies on the donut. You should discard them.
Cashier 2: Okay.
Me: Do you understand me? I said, there are flies on the donuts.
Cashier 2: Okay.
Cashier 1: Your sandwich is not here, it's over there! [talked to me like I'm deaf]
Me: The fly is on the sourcream glazed! [point to flies]
Cashier 1: YOUR---SANDWICH---IS---OVER---THERE. [talked to me like I don't understand English]
Me: I'm talking to her right now. Can you not interrupt?
Cashier 1: Fine~ [exit area with attitude]
Me: There are flies, you need to discard them.
Cashier 2: Okay.
Customers behind me: Oh dear, there are flies... maybe just the coffee?

The first cashier has heavy accent, and heavier attitude. What annoys me is the cashier 2, very pretty young girl. She knows and saw the flies but pretend nothing happened, kept saying, "Okay" like a robot. I suspect flies on donut is never cause for discarding them?

I'm never eating Tim's again for the rest of my life.

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Overreaction. Rather than clog up the lines for the cashier, next time ask to speak with the duty manager.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EvilTofu

So I was at Tim's last week because I received a gift card. There were flies in the donut case, so I told the cashier.

Me: There are flies in the donut case.
Cashier 1: next customer!
Me: There are flies in the donut case.
Cashier 1: Your sandwich will be over there! [point to left, exit area]
Me: There is a fly on the apple fritter right now.
Worker pouring coffee: Hello. [smile]
Me: [walked to next cashier]
Cashier 2: What can I get you today?
Me: I'm just waiting, but I want to tell you that there are flies in the donut case.
Cashier 2: Okay.
Me: There is a fly on the apple fritter right now. [point to flies]
Cashier 2: Okay.
Me: There are flies on the donut. You should discard them.
Cashier 2: Okay.
Me: Do you understand me? I said, there are flies on the donuts.
Cashier 2: Okay.
Cashier 1: Your sandwich is not here, it's over there! [talked to me like I'm deaf]
Me: The fly is on the sourcream glazed! [point to flies]
Cashier 1: YOUR---SANDWICH---IS---OVER---THERE. [talked to me like I don't understand English]
Me: I'm talking to her right now. Can you not interrupt?
Cashier 1: Fine~ [exit area with attitude]
Me: There are flies, you need to discard them.
Cashier 2: Okay.
Customers behind me: Oh dear, there are flies... maybe just the coffee?

The first cashier has heavy accent, and heavier attitude. What annoys me is the cashier 2, very pretty young girl. She knows and saw the flies but pretend nothing happened, kept saying, "Okay" like a robot. I suspect flies on donut is never cause for discarding them?

I'm never eating Tim's again for the rest of my life.

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OP, you tried to let the employees know and they did not take action.Flies carry disease and can make people sick:

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flies are strongly suspected of transmitting at least 65 diseases to humans, including typhoid fever, dysentery, cholera, poliomyelitis, yaws, anthrax, tularemia, leprosy and tuberculosis. Flies regurgitate and excrete wherever they come to rest and thereby mechanically transmit disease organisms.

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You could call the health department. The health department inspects restaurants. The health department employees work on holidays too.

I had a similar response back in September at a local area Second Cup. While I went in there for a baked item, the bakery case had a half dozen flies landing on the cookies, muffins, and cakes.

I told them about it, and while I wasnt treated as rudely as the OP, they did acknowledge that they were aware and said (to what I can only describe as stupidly) with "what are we supposed to do about it?"

I said, maybe dispose of those items and perhaps put fresh items out under a more secure cover... a cake-safe (which they have) or some such.

Problem is, Second Cup doesnt bake their products on site. A good number of them are brought in from local bakeries (even Costco, go figure).
But they can't leave them in their packaging apparently as it's not as aesthetically pleasing. Suffice it to say, I didnt buy any baked goods that day, nor any day since.

I expect they too are told to leave the items out. Sounds like a standard practice. They really ought to get more secure and better sealed bakery cases.

If you have the time, record everything. Then post it on social media. This will catch the attention of the media. This will do more damage to their reputation than the cost of dumping the goods. I'm pretty sure Tim's are franchised. When the owners see or hear the story on the news, let's say they won't be happy campers.

Or call a TV or radio station and say blah blah blah at this restaurant and location. They would be there before anyone could get rid of the evidence. This will definitely make them clean up their act.

Flies at this time of year?

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Originally Posted by GoJays

Flies at this time of year?

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I was thinking the same thing, Not only is it late December, but also the fact that it's been abnormally cold to boot. However rare, it's not out of the question to see flies, especially in a place that might be bringing in fresh foods like vegetables imported from warmer climates. If people can find spiders and scorpions among the bananas and cantaloupes at the grocery store, the idea of flies coming in with the same cartons of produce isn't hard to fathom, or even just their larva on the cartons.

The other possibility is that an isolated and coincidental occurrence that maybe a customer brought them from their home where they may have a resident problem (sadly, not everyone is as hygienic as we'd all like) -- perhaps maybe even rode in on a service animal. Although if the staff are diligent and on their toes, the fly incident would be isolated to a day or two at most.

Extending the thought that "not everyone is hygienic" -- if it's a continual problem at this location, then maybe it's a staff member bringing them in.

Lastly, and worse, it could mean they are resident to the location. This would probably be more likely or evident if other signs of poor cleaning and hygiene practices are observed at that location, which means the management and staff just dont care at all.

Do you overthink everything? :P

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bhlombardy

I was thinking the same thing, Not only is it late December, but also the fact that it's been abnormally cold to boot. However rare, it's not out of the question to see flies, especially in a place that might be bringing in fresh foods like vegetables imported from warmer climates. If people can find spiders and scorpions among the bananas and cantaloupes at the grocery store, the idea of flies coming in with the same cartons of produce isn't hard to fathom, or even just their larva on the cartons.

The other possibility is that an isolated and coincidental occurrence that maybe a customer brought them from their home where they may have a resident problem (sadly, not everyone is as hygienic as we'd all like) -- perhaps maybe even rode in on a service animal. Although if the staff are diligent and on their toes, the fly incident would be isolated to a day or two at most.

Extending the thought that "not everyone is hygienic" -- if it's a continual problem at this location, then maybe it's a staff member bringing them in.

Lastly, and worse, it could mean they are resident to the location. This would probably be more likely or evident if other signs of poor cleaning and hygiene practices are observed at that location, which means the management and staff just dont care at all.

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Lol the people who think its ok , Wouldnt want to see your guys kitchen or eat from you guys gross! Im with you op those people shouldve got rid of fly and discarded donuts touched those things are nasty ! Carry lots of diseases.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GoJays

Do you overthink everything? :P

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Yup. :)

These days I just go to McDonalds for my coffee :) . Tim's coffee sucks, although their dark roast is not bad, but regular coffee is bad.

All their baked goods like donuts are no longer fresh baked in store, but just some stale frozen crap from their factory, which is re heated in stores

https://b.zmtcdn.com/data/menus/008/...c13984432b.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by julies1949

Overreaction. Rather than clog up the lines for the cashier, next time ask to speak with the duty manager.

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Actually Under reaction from the cashiers. If they ( 2 of them ! ) had just acknowledged her complaint & said we will get rid of the flies, things would have been better. Not maybe immediately but we will get to it.

But yes they won't discard them. Maybe they need a cockroach or rodent infestation before they will actually do anything :cheesygrin:

Call restaurant inspectors in your area and/or fill out guest feedback on www.timhortons.com

OP, if this really bothers you. Talk to a manager.
But seriously people. It's a fly...or flies. You'll likely live.

I actually have seen a mosquito in our house last month. But the ongoing issue are fruit flies as someone keeps buying grapes and those same fruit flies are at the back door window every freaking morning. Don't know how they keep going year round.

I agree with the mention of contacting the public health dept and also posting on social media-the latter works wonders pretty darn quick.

FYI: There was no line. There are 2 Cashiers. Just me and the old couples.
What is wrong with you? Do you think I didn't ask for the manager? Cashier 1 was the manager.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by julies1949

Overreaction. Rather than clog up the lines for the cashier, next time ask to speak with the duty manager.

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Updates:
I contacted Tim's head office via customer service. They didn't reply.
I contacted Health Inspectors, she thanked me for reporting and told me she found lots of flies due to clogged drain in the display case. She will return in a week to reinspect the place.

I'm a huge fan of Health Inspectors Notebook: http://healthinspectorsnotebook.blogspot.ca/
If you don't report them, they are rarely caught. Health department only has manpower to inspect a restaurant every 2 years.

I'm surprised that Tim's didn't reply me, apologize or compensate for poor experience. They treat their customer's like crap. I don't get why people go there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EvilTofu

Updates:
I contacted Tim's head office via customer service. They didn't reply.
I contacted Health Inspectors, she thanked me for reporting and told me she found lots of flies due to clogged drain in the display case. She will return in a week to reinspect the place.

I'm a huge fan of Health Inspectors Notebook: http://healthinspectorsnotebook.blogspot.ca/
If you don't report them, they are rarely caught. Health department only has manpower to inspect a restaurant every 2 years.

I'm surprised that Tim's didn't reply me, apologize or compensate for poor experience. They treat their customer's like crap. I don't get why people go there.

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thanks for the update
glad the health inspectors were able to help
you helped a lot of people :top:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shwa Girl

thanks for the update
glad the health inspectors were able to help
you helped a lot of people :top:

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But where are the flies going to get their donuts? They wont go anywhere Robins

Sometimes workers don't take the steps to keep food areas in the best conditions. And there are so many lunchrooms in workplaces across Ontario where employees won't keep things clean, tidy or sanitized--and if there are bins for recycling, sometimes containers don't get rinsed before the blue box drop or greasy pizza cardboard does not get placed in a green cart. Not surprised there is a lot of "not my department" mentality in retail and non-retail environments.

I'm all for being the cleaning MacGyver but not the only one--tedious to be assumed to be the caretaker for colleagues who think cleaning is beneath them.

I complained many times about non-functioning bathrooms at Tim Hortons in Canso NS. I never heard back from Tim Hortons.

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Originally Posted by matrix82

I complained many times about non-functioning bathrooms at Tim Hortons in Canso NS. I never heard back from Tim Hortons.

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I didn't think that town was big enough for a TH's.

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Originally Posted by macw1960

I didn't think that town was big enough for a TH's.

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have you ever been to a town that DIDNT have one? You need but a population of 100 people and they'll erect a Tim's.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bhlombardy

have you ever been to a town that DIDNT have one? You need but a population of 100 people and they'll erect a Tim's.

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the small town i grew up in had 3! (though the next town over had none so i guess it balanced out)

I can list a few towns near me that don't have them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by macw1960

I can list a few towns near me that don't have them.

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I was being facetious. :)