Working at Tim Hortons vs. Starbucks: Which is a better place to work?

Tim Horton and Starbucks are leading coffee houses with different operations and cultures. When I graduated from high school, I needed a job to get by. I saw openings at Starbucks and Tim Hortons and applied for both. My dilemma came when I got job offers from both companies was which place was better to work, and eventually, I had to pick one. I was inspired to write this post to demonstrate the differences based on many parameters. By the end, you will learn which place is better to work, so keep up.

What are the Differences between working at Tim Horton vs. Starbucks?

Features	Tim Horton(7,629 Reviews)	Starbucks(5,011 reviews)
Work-Life Balance	70% of employees are satisfied with a standard 8-hour shift 3.1/5 stars	84% are satisfied with a standard 8-hour shift 3.4/5 stars
Career opportunities	3.0/5 stars Few chances of getting promoted	3.5/5 stars The possibility to get a promotion is high
Compensations and employee benefits	2.7/5 stars Benefits are not good and include Health insurance, Commuter benefits, and paid vacation	3.8/5 stars Great health insurance, free drinks, commuter allowance, Free tuition coverage
Positive business outlook	40% of employees have a positive business outlook	54% of employees have a positive business outlook, which is 14% higher than Tim Horton
Culture and values	3.1/5 stars The culture is friendly and nice	3.8/5 stars The culture is warm, inclusive, and promotes equity
CEO approval	63% Jose Cil	61% Howard Schultz
Job Postings	3,679 As of September 2022	26,614 As of September 2022
Salaries	Minimum -$11 Team member General manager-$85,710	Minimum-$15 Barista General Manager-$82,369

Tim Hortons vs. Starbucks-How does working there Compare?

Work-life Balance

At Tim Hortons, 70% of employees enjoy a standard 8-hour shift, while 11% work long hours. This means that three-quarters of employees are happy with their work-life balance. According to 7,000 reviews, the employees gave 3.1 stars out of 5. This shows that employees can work and still have fulfilling lives outside their jobs. The company has part-time workers and full-time workers. Most employees praised the flexible schedule that worked around their school schedule. Tim Hortons shifts are 6am-2pm, 2 pm to 10pm, and 10pm to 6am.

Starbucks’ employees rated their work-life balance at 3.4 stars out of 5. This translates to 60% of employees being satisfied with their work-life balance. Starbucks’ 84% of employees work a standard 8-hour shift. Some employees work as little as 6 hours and are content with their work-life balance. However, there is a high percentage that feels burned out, which translates to 40%. The store managers are mostly burned out due to long working hours.

In this category, Starbucks has a higher rating than Tim Hortons and wins in this category.

Career opportunities

Tim Hortons employees and former employees ranked the career opportunities in this coffee house at 3 stars. The career opportunities are massive and well-articulated on the company site. Many opportunities offered here equip employees with customer service skills, leadership, teamwork, and the opportunity to grow. Although career advancement opportunities are limited, plenty of employees get promotions through merit.

Starbucks is a giant coffee chain with endless career opportunities for first-time job seekers and experienced workers alike. The company is constantly growing and requires both skilled and unskilled workers. The best part is that Starbucks takes its new employees through vigorous training before they begin the job. This means that most people get a new career with this company. According to over 50,000 reviews, employees ranked Starbucks at 3.5 stars out of five.

Starbucks ranks higher in career opportunities at 3.5, compared to Tim Hortons at 3, and wins in this category.

Compensations and employee benefits

Tim Hortons has its employees at heart and has some perks. According to reviews, both part-time and full-time employees rated it 2.7 stars. This is slightly above average and means that half of the workers at Tim Hortons feel that the company does not give them enough benefits and compensation. Some of the benefits include health insurance for workers and their dependents, free drinks, paid holidays, discounts on meals, and paid sick leave. Well, the company is still expanding and might expand its benefits with time, but for now, employees would want more.

Starbucks is well-known for its perks. Some people look for part-time positions at the coffee chain to get their hands on the lucrative insurance benefits. At Glassdoor, the employees who rated the company gave it a clean 3.8 out of 5. This means that they are impressed by the tuition coverage, commuter benefits, free drinks, discounts on merchandise, food, and drinks, and many more. Most reviews mentioned one of the pros of working at Starbucks as great benefits. The company avails these perks to both full-time and part-time workers who meet the requirements.

This category is taken by Starbucks for attaining an undisputed 3.8 stars, compared to 2.7 at Tim Hortons.

Positive business outlook

Employees of any company have an outlook on the company. At Tim Hortons, 40% of employees have a positive business outlook and are happy with how things are run. However, 60% are either neutral or have a negative outlook. Many things come into play in how employees view their workplace. It could be due to management, pay, workload, or work-life balance. Most employees do not look forward to their job and only come for pay and tips.

Starbucks ranks at 54% positive business outlook. More than half of the employees in this company look forward to coming to work. Most attribute it to their co-workers and the daily freebies. Others look forward to Fridays when tips are shared and during 30% discounts on purchases. Even when customers are rude and unbearable, most employees love their teams and have good managers. The work is challenging, and the workplace is fast-paced, but the employees have a positive outlook.

This category goes to Starbucks for ranking 54%, which is 14% higher than Tim Hortons.

Culture and values

Tim Hortons puts the customers first, stewardship, and cooperation. Most employees enjoy teamwork and flexibility on shifts. The work environment is great, and reviews ranked it at 3.1 stars. The current employees love the nice and friendly environment and the spirit of winning together. When employees fall sick, the team members step in to cover for them, before a replacement or the person gets well. The company promotes oneness and encourages speed with accuracy among teams. It is a fast-paced culture with diversity and inclusivity.

Starbucks has a culture of inclusivity, equity, and diversity. The company includes a culture of belonging and community participation. This coffee house is available in upmarket and low-income neighborhoods to capture all without discrimination. Over 50,000 employee reviews ranked it 3.8 stars out of 5, which means that most employees are happy with the culture and values that Starbucks holds.

This category goes to Starbucks for having higher positive culture and values reviews than Tim Hortons. While Tim Horton focuses on customers. Starbucks emphasizes keeping the partners comfortable.

CEO approval

Jose Cil is the CEO OF Tim Hortons, and he seems to have his act together, based on the steady growth of the company and the 63% CEO approval reviews by employees. When employees approve a CEO, they communicate their satisfaction with the top leadership and policies. The employees are saying that they like where the company is heading to. More than half of Tim Hortons employees seem to approve of this CEO and his leadership, while another 37% are neutral or do not approve. While some employees will only approve a CEO when their demands are met, others genuinely rate him based on his performance.

Starbucks has been under the leadership of Howard Schultz for more than three decades, and 61% of employees feel that he has been doing great. It is hard to despite his success based on the steady growth of Starbucks. Schultz is the current interim CEO as the company awaits to get into new leadership. Most of the products that Starbucks is known for have been invented under his leadership and have been successful.

In this category, Tim Hortons takes the lead with a 2% higher CEO approval rate than Starbucks.

Job Postings

As of September 2022, Tim Hortons had 3,679 job postings on Glassdoor. These are opportunities that rise from turnover rate and new open locations. These job posts are available on the career page of the company’s website and can be applied online. You can find these job postings on top job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn. Jobs range from junior positions, such as bakers and cleaners to top-level management all over the country.

Starbucks has a whopping 26,614 open jobs as of September 2022. All these positions are in the United States and globally. These jobs range from junior levels, such as baristas and cashiers to top management jobs. Other middle-level jobs include recruiters, store managers, and analysts. They are available for application online, but recruitment happens in individual stores. The jobs have indicated the job description and the expected remuneration.

In this category, Starbucks takes an effortless win with over 20,000 job openings more than Tim Hortons.

Salaries

Tim Hortons	Starbucks
Team Member $11/hr 79 salaries	Barista $15/hr 22324 salaries
Cashier $31,356 52 salaries	Cashier $31,011 419 salaries
Supervisor $14/hr 54 salaries	Shift Supervisor $19/hr 6101 salaries
General manager $85,710 40 salaries	General manager $82,369 79 salaries
Store manager $66,680 26 salaries	Assistant manager $67,146 284 salaries

In this category, Tim Hortons wins for higher pay rates than Starbucks in most job levels.

Tim Hortons vs. Starbucks- Employee Overviews

Tim Hortons Employee Reviews

We have taken sample reviews from Glassdoor of current and former employees of Tim Hortons.

Former Employee

I worked part-time at Tim Hortons and loved my colleagues. The workload was a lot, and we were always understaffed. The management is great, except for some bad people.

Gail

This is a fast-paced environment and is a great first job. The pay sucks and the benefits are not as great, but the colleagues are amazing.

Current Employee

The work environment is friendly, but some customers are rude. However, the colleagues make it worth it. The pay would do better, and the benefits improvement is long overdue.

Dee46-Former barista

I would advise a potential employee to look elsewhere. The pay is minimum wage, and the benefits are the worst.

Current employee-Barista

The only thing that keeps us going is the good relationship among co-workers. The work is physically challenging, only to take home a meager salary.

Starbucks Employee Reviews

These are current and former employee reviews from Glassdoor and Indeed.

Current Employee-shift supervisor

The benefits are great, and the pay is reasonable. I find the shifts flexible and give me a good work-life balance. It is a good first job.

John-Cashier

Some of the customers are rude for no reason. However, the lucrative health insurance and the amazing co-workers make it worth the while.

Current Employee-barista

Too many homeless people walk in daily. Everything else is great, at least for the one year I have been with this company.

Former Employee-barista

Starbucks gave me a free degree and opened a range of opportunities for me. I enjoyed the working relationship with my co-workers and the free drinks. I also got my merchandise at a great discount.

Current Employee-Barista

I only stay for the benefits and Friday tips share. The management is poor as most workers are unwilling to help, and many inexperienced new people.

Final Verdict: So, which is a better place to work? – Tim Hortons vs. Starbucks

Starbucks is a better place to work with great benefits and a good working environment than Tim Hortons. Most employee reviews reveal a positive business outlook and job satisfaction. The company does a great job of training and equipping new employees with skills that open up new career opportunities for them. The hiring rate is high, with only one interview for barista and cashier jobs.

FAQ SECTION

Which company values its employees more between Tim Hortons and Starbucks?

Starbucks values its employees more than Tim Hortons, with better pay and great benefits.

Which company provides a better working environment between Tim Hortons and Starbucks?

Starbucks has a better working environment with a warm and friendly culture.

Does Tim Hortons value its customers more than Starbucks?

Yes, Tim Hortons’ values include putting the customer first, while Starbucks focuses on employees and customers.

Does Tim Hortons provide better employee benefits than Starbucks?

No, the benefits at Tim Hortons are not great, according to many reviews, but Starbucks ranks high in benefits.

Which company invests more in its employees between Starbucks and Tim Hortons?

Starbucks calls its employees partners to make them feel valued and has great health insurance, compared to Tim Hortons.

Which employees are likely to recommend their workplace to a friend, Starbucks, or Tim Horton’s employees?

According to Glassdoor, 70% of reviews can recommend a friend to work at Starbucks, while 55% can do the same at Tim Hortons.