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Tim Hortons Roll Up the Rim (now officially Roll Up To Win) runs annually for a four-week window from late February through late March. The 2026 contest ran from February 23 to March 22, with digital rolls valid to reveal until April 3, 2026. The 2027 contest is expected in late February 2027.
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When Does Roll Up the Rim Start and End Each Year?
Tim Hortons schedules its annual Roll Up to Win contest for a standard four-week promotional window that launches in late February or early March and concludes four weeks later in late March or early April. For over three decades across Canada, the promotion has served as the brand's premier late-winter event, driving nationwide store visits as winter transitions into spring.
Contest dates follow a reliable cadence tied directly to Canadian calendar Mondays. Tim Hortons corporate headquarters announces official launch details approximately one to two weeks before kickoff, with promotional activity across participating restaurants and drive-thrus running continuously for 28 consecutive days.
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Historical Roll Up the Rim Dates: 2020 to 2027 Schedule
Historical contest records show that Tim Hortons consistently opens the contest during the final Monday of February or the first Monday of March. While earlier editions in the 2010s occasionally began in early February, the modernized digital era has solidified a late-winter launch date.
The table below summarizes official start dates, end dates, roll reveal deadlines, and format structures from 2020 through 2026, alongside projections for 2027:
| Year | Start Date | End Date | Duration | Digital Roll Reveal Deadline | Contest Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 (Projected) | February 22, 2027 | March 21, 2027 | 28 days | April 2, 2027 | Hybrid (Paper Cups + Digital App) |
| 2026 | February 23, 2026 | March 22, 2026 | 28 days | April 3, 2026 | Hybrid (40th Anniversary Return of Cups) |
| 2025 | February 24, 2025 | March 23, 2025 | 28 days | April 4, 2025 | Hybrid (Limited Paper Cups + Digital App) |
| 2024 | March 4, 2024 | March 31, 2024 | 28 days | April 12, 2024 | 100% Digital (Tims App & Web Portal) |
| 2023 | March 6, 2023 | April 2, 2023 | 28 days | April 16, 2023 | 100% Digital (Tims App & Web Portal) |
| 2022 | March 7, 2022 | April 3, 2022 | 28 days | April 24, 2022 | 100% Digital (Tims App & Web Portal) |
| 2021 (Spring) | March 8, 2021 | April 4, 2021 | 28 days | April 18, 2021 | 100% Digital (First All-Digital Campaign) |
| 2020 | March 11, 2020 | April 7, 2020 | 28 days | April 21, 2020 | Transition Hybrid (Physical Cups Scrapped) |
Between 2021 and 2024, Tim Hortons maintained a March start date to optimize digital loyalty engagement following the pandemic. In 2025 and 2026, the company moved the schedule up to late February. Searchers planning for the 2027 contest should monitor official announcements during mid-February 2027. For a broader look at overall campaign odds, check out our comprehensive Roll Up the Rim contest guide.
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Why Did Tim Hortons Transition to Digital Roll Up to Win?
Originally created in 1986 by former marketing executive Ron Buist using the unprinted rim of paper cups, Tim Hortons transitioned the contest into a digital format in March 2020 to modernize the promotion, integrate loyalty tracking, and resolve environmental and hygiene concerns. When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in March 2020, Tim Hortons immediately withdrew physical paper cups from drive-thrus to protect front-line restaurant team members from handling saliva-marked paper rims, redirecting all prize distributions to digital loyalty channels.
The digital transformation, rebranded as "Roll Up To Win," moved rolls into the Tim Hortons mobile app and website. This change eliminated approximately 260 million single-use promotional cups annually while ending customer complaints about unreadable prize print under torn rims. To satisfy customer nostalgia during the 40th anniversary in 2026, Tim Hortons President Axel Schwan announced that physical promotional cups are now a permanent hybrid feature alongside the digital game.
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How to Play and Earn Digital Rolls Before the Deadline
Players earn digital rolls during the active contest window by purchasing qualifying items and linking the order to a registered Tims Rewards account. Scanning your digital in-app loyalty QR code, using Scan & Pay, or swiping a linked physical plastic card automatically deposits rolls into your digital roll tray within minutes of purchase.
Once deposited, rolls remain stored in the app until you manually roll them or the claim window expires. Players tap the digital cup on the screen and swipe upward to reveal prizes ranging from instant food vouchers to major tech products.
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Purchase Qualifying Menu Item
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Scan Registered Tims Rewards (App or Physical Card)
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Digital Rolls Deposited into Tims App Wallet
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Swipe Virtual Rim on Screen to Reveal Prize
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Redeem Food / Beverage in Store or Complete Skill-Testing Question
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Eligible Hot and Cold Drinks on the Menu
Purchasing any medium, large, or extra-large hot beverage from the official Tim Hortons coffee menu—including original blend brewed coffee, dark roast, steeped tea, lattes, and hot chocolates—earns one base digital roll. Small beverages and single espresso shots do not qualify for promotional rolls.
Cold beverage purchases also earn digital rolls throughout the campaign. Cold brews, iced coffees, Iced Capps, and Fruit Quenchers generate rolls when ordered in eligible promotional sizes. Select breakfast wraps and breakfast sandwiches also qualify as eligible items during participating breakfast menu hours. In addition to restaurant food and drinks, select retail purchases of Tims at Home packaged coffees have also qualified for bonus digital roll credits upon receipt verification.
Bonus Rolls: Mobile Orders and Reusable Cups
Customers can multiply their roll earnings by combining mobile app orders with sustainable cup choices. Placing an eligible order through mobile pickup or Tims Delivery doubles your roll allocation, earning two rolls for every qualifying drink rather than one.
Bringing a clean, reusable travel mug into a Tim Hortons restaurant earns an additional bonus roll per beverage purchase. When paired with a registered mobile order or counter scan, eco-conscious guests can earn up to three rolls on a single beverage transaction during promotional bonus days.
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Roll Up to Win Claim Deadlines: When Do Digital Rolls Expire?
Digital rolls do not remain in your Tims Rewards account indefinitely; they expire approximately 12 to 14 days after the contest purchasing window closes. For the 2026 contest, purchasing ended on March 22, 2026, while the hard deadline to reveal unrolled cups was April 3, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET.
The contest timeline operates across three distinct cutoff milestones:
- Purchase Window Cutoff: The final date to buy qualifying menu items and earn new rolls (typically the fourth Sunday of the contest).
- Digital Reveal Cutoff: The hard expiration date for revealing unrolled digital cups in the app (typically early April). Any unrevealed rolls are automatically forfeited without compensation.
- Prize Redemption Window: The final date to collect food, beverage, and merchandise awards. Instant coffee and donut wins are loaded directly into your Tims Rewards prize wallet and must usually be redeemed within two weeks following the reveal deadline.
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What Are the Major Prizes in the Roll Up Contest?
The modern Roll Up To Win prize pool features over 30 million individual prizes distributed across Canada, backed by parent company Restaurant Brands International. The most frequent winnings are instant Tim Hortons food and drink items, including millions of free coffees and baked goods such as boxes from the Timbits menu, alongside points drops worth up to 1,000 Tims Rewards points.
Non-food prizes represent significant retail value, including brand-new vehicles such as the Volkswagen ID. Buzz electric van, outdoor recreational vehicles, all-inclusive resort vacations, electronics, and prepaid retail gift cards. Under Canadian sweepstakes law, the contest is open to Canadian residents aged 13 and older (14 and older in Quebec), and every potential winner of a non-food or high-value prize must correctly answer a time-limited, multi-step mathematical skill-testing question before being declared an official winner. A no purchase necessary entry option is also provided in the official contest rules at rolluptowin.ca.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When does Roll Up the Rim typically start each year?
Roll Up the Rim historically starts on the last Monday of February or the first Monday of March. In 2025 and 2026, the contest launched on February 24 and February 23, respectively, establishing late February as the standard modern launch period.
What is the exact duration of the Tim Hortons contest?
The purchasing phase of Roll Up To Win lasts exactly 28 days (four consecutive weeks). Customers can earn rolls starting at midnight on opening Monday through 11:59 PM on the fourth Sunday of the promotion.
What happens if I forget to reveal my digital rolls before the deadline?
Any digital rolls left unrevealed in your Tims Rewards account after the official reveal cutoff date (typically early April) are permanently forfeited. Tim Hortons cannot reinstate expired rolls or exchange unrevealed rolls for loyalty points.
Are physical Roll Up the Rim cups back permanently?
Yes. Tim Hortons President Axel Schwan confirmed during the 40th anniversary promotion in 2026 that physical paper cups with roll-up rims are back permanently as part of a hybrid format alongside the digital app experience.
Do I need a smartphone to participate in Roll Up To Win?
No, a smartphone is not strictly mandatory, although it offers the easiest interface. Customers can register a plastic Tims Rewards card online at rolluptowin.ca and reveal their earned rolls using a desktop web browser.
When will Tim Hortons announce the official 2027 contest dates?
Tim Hortons usually issues its national press release and advertising campaign 10 to 14 days before the contest begins. For the 2027 contest, expect an official announcement in mid-February 2027.
Do free coffee and donut prizes expire immediately?
No, food and beverage prize coupons loaded into your Tims Rewards wallet remain valid for approximately two to three weeks after the contest closes. Always check the expiration date listed beneath the coupon voucher inside your app wallet.
Does buying through the drive-thru earn digital rolls?
Yes, provided you scan your Tims Rewards digital QR code or tap your linked loyalty card at the drive-thru payment window before completing the transaction. Purchases made without scanning cannot have rolls retroactively applied.
How do I earn bonus rolls during the promotion?
You earn bonus rolls by ordering eligible items through mobile order and pay in the Tims App (which awards two rolls instead of one) and by bringing a clean reusable travel cup into the restaurant (which adds an extra bonus roll).
Why do winners have to answer a math skill-testing question?
Canadian federal law requires sweepstakes and contests to include a test of skill to legally distinguish promotional giveaways from illegal gambling or lotteries. Potential prize winners must correctly solve a multi-step mathematical equation without mechanical assistance.
Does Tim Hortons U.S. follow the same contest dates as Canada?
Tim Hortons U.S. runs a separate version of Roll Up To Win that often shares similar spring dates but features an independent prize pool, distinct cash features like a Daily Jackpot, vehicle giveaways (such as Ford vehicles), and specific legal terms governed by U.S. state regulations.
This is an independent guide not affiliated with Tim Hortons or Restaurant Brands International. Contest rules, eligibility dates, and prize availability are governed strictly by the official Tim Hortons Roll Up To Win contest rules in the Tims App. See Sources.