The Tim Hortons coffee shop chain is a national institution in Canada, writes Rebecca Lawrence from Moose Jaw.

There are more than 2,800 stores across the country and it has recently branched into the United States.

Moose Jaw has two Tim Hortons — one in downtown and one by the Trans-Canada Highway.

Every morning there is a huge line up for the drive-thru at both stores and it seems Canadians cannot live without their fix of Tim Hortons coffee.

The chain sells more coffee than all other coffee shops in Canada put together.

It was founded in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario, and first offered only two products — coffee and doughnuts.

Tim Hortons also has an active involvement in the community.

This week was the annual Camp Day, which raises thousands of dollars for the Tim Horton Children’s Foundation to send youngsters to six camps.

Every penny from coffee sales is donated to the foundation and each store organizes different events for people to take part in.

People can also get involved and volunteer to serve coffee for a shift.

And this is what I did on Wednesday.

I started my shift at 2pm thinking it would be a quiet period, but store manager Jeremy Stewart informed me it is actually one of the busiest times of the day.

My trainer Chantal Olmsted explained things very clearly and I found myself pouring coffee at the downtown store.

Everything for staff is placed in convenient locations so you can quickly grab the right size cup, press the buttons for the sugar and cream, pour the coffee and slip on a lid.

A double double is a very Canadian term — it means a coffee with double cream and double sugar. I made quite a few of these before moving on to smoothies and ice caps.

Another Tim Hortons institution is the Roll up the Rim to Win competition, which happens in March.

When you buy your coffee or tea, you can roll up the rim and if you’ve won a prize, which could be money or a car, the details will be printed there.

I managed to win two coffees and two doughnuts, so that’s not bad for my first year.

Back in February, I was also privileged to interview Ron Buist, the inventor of the competition.

He was in Moose Jaw for a business and industry dinner.

Buist said the key to the company’s expansion was moving into small communities.

“People ask me that all the time,” he said during his speech, “they became part of Canada. This is why they succeeded so well.”

My husband and I certainly became Tim Hortons converts pretty quickly. Every time we drive to Calgary, our half way treat is a Tim Hortons lunch in Medicine Hat on the Alberta/Saskatchewan boarder.

And I, being British, have to say their steeped tea is the best tea I’ve found in Canada so far.