An A-List Celebration Unveils Yucatán’s 1st Tim Hortons
Executives joined state and local authorities to unveil Yucatán’s first Tim Hortons in Yucatán. The red-carpet ceremony also heralds the first “Timmy’s” in southeast Mexico.
Xcanatun is Tim Hortons’ 195th Mexican location, with two more already under construction in the city. Their growth strategy goes even further.
Local and state officials, alongside executives and representatives of Grupo Lodemo, cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially inaugurate Mérida’s first Tim Hortons.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
The inauguration of Yucatán’s first Tim Hortons drew members of the business community as well as plenty of press and social media influencers.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
Tim Hortons officially opens to the public on Friday, March 27 and will offer free menu items to customers.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
Servers in black and white go table to table offering attendees donuts and beverages.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
Tim Hortons Mexico Director Juan José Gutiérrez Chapa speaks about the ease of doing business in Yucatán and how glad he is that the chain has finally landed in one of his favorite cities.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
Director of Grupo Lodemo, Emilio Loret de Mola Gomory, speaks about how Mérida has become one of the most dynamic and exciting markets in all of Mexico, given its combination of security and growth.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
During her remarks, Mérida Mayor Cecilia Patrón Laviada highlights the importance of foreign investment in Yucatán as an engine of the state’s growth.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
Tim Hortons Xcanatun offers everything you would expect at “Timmy’s,” as well as menu items specifically designed for the Mexican market.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
The inauguration of Yucatán’s first Tim Hortons draws members of the business community as well as plenty of press and social media influencers.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
“The plan is to have opened 80 new locations in Mexico by the end of the year, with 15 of these in Yucatán and Quintana Roo. In total, we are projecting 500 retail locations across Mexico by 2030, so there is a lot of work to be done,” Tim Hortons Mexico Director Juan José Gutiérrez Chapa told Yucatán Magazine.
Tim Hortons went all out for the elegant ribbon-cutting. A vibrant red curtain on a custom-built stage created the illusion of a Broadway premiere. Under the glow of the company’s logo and the Canadian maple leaf, Tim Hortons’ most popular items were arranged on catering stations in the parking lot out front. With upbeat club music in the background, servers wearing black-and-white outfits handed out hot and cold refreshments, cocktails, gift bags, and other treats.
In true Yucatecan fashion, most of the men present wore white guayaberas, while many of the women wore fashionable evening gowns. Aside from state and local authorities, the ceremony was attended by Yucatán’s business leaders, media, and social media influencers.
City leaders took turns to speak. Mayor Cecilia Patrón Laviada highlighted the importance of continuing to help businesses cut through red tape to create jobs and sustain the state’s economic growth.
Emilio Loret de Mola Gomory, Director of Grupo Lodemo—which operates several fast-food chains, gas stations, and other businesses in Mexico—highlighted the importance of safety in Yucatán for continuing to attract new investment to the state.
After the ribbon was cut and the curtain dropped, attendees were invited to enter the store for a tasting.
All day today, Tim Hortons will offer a limited supply of free menu items to introduce Yucatecos to the Canadian twist on the age-old combo of donuts, coffees, cold drinks, and sandwiches.
The Maple Leaf Effect
Market analysts cite the chain’s Canadian identity as a competitive advantage. Its cultural roots reach back over 60 years. Founder Tim Horton was a legendary pro ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He opened his first store in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1964. This partly explains the maple leaf’s prominence in Tim Hortons’ branding.
“The current geopolitical climate is much more favorable to Canadian chains like Tim Hortons, Boston Pizza, and MB Chicken, all of which are seeing rapid growth not just in Mexico, but Latin America as a whole,” said Viviana Estrella of El Economista.
As of February 2026, Tim Hortons operates 3,538 restaurants across Canada, making it the country’s largest food chain by a significant margin. Tim Hortons has established a presence in 19 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Mexico, Spain, the Philippines, India, China, and the Middle East. The brand is also currently expanding into new markets in Asia, including China and South Korea.
Gutiérez Chapa highlighted that, aside from Tim Hortons staples like maple-glazed donuts and Timbits, the company continues to develop menu items engineered for the Mexican market.
A Mexico Fan Base
The Mexican market has embraced Tim Hortons, with consumer reception being overwhelmingly positive. Multiple locations consistently maintain 4.7-star ratings or higher on delivery platforms, with thousands of reviews.
Multiple reviews explicitly compare Tim Hortons favorably against more expensive rivals. One customer wrote, “el precio es accesible, nada que ver con la competencia” (the price is accessible, nothing like the competition). More generous portion sizes are also mentioned.
Customers consistently praise the fresh bakery items, with one reviewer noting, “Las donas están deliciosas, no son empalagosas” (the donuts are delicious, not overly sweet).
Tim Hortons Xcanatun, just north of the Periférico on the Mérida-Progreso highway, operates from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., with 24-hour drive-through service.
Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht, PhD, is a journalist, photographer, and expedition leader. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada, and Norway. Most recently, he earned a doctorate in Heritage Studies in 2026.
