A Red Velvet Cookie at Tim Hortons?

Last Thursday I stopped off for coffee at a relatively new Tim Hortons (90 Elgin Street, Ottawa) located within the new federal James Michael Flaherty Building at the corner of Elgin & Albert Streets.   Facing Albert Street, this modern looking Tim Hortons location takes advantage of the significant number of federal civil servants who occupy the building, tourists enjoying the sites of downtown Ottawa and those using the nearby OC Transpo eastbound Metcalfe Street Transitway Station.

I visited last Thursday mid afternoon to a semi bustling Tim Hortons store.  The federal civil servants were busily enjoying their coffees as they chatted.  I patiently waited in line to order an mid afternoon snack.

As I waited in line, I noticed something kind of amusing...

Yes, the muffin I was about to order was trying it's darndest to masquerade as a cookie!

I eventually got to the front and made my order.

The Order: 1 Medium Black Original Blend and 1 Red Velvet Muffin masquerading as a cookie.

The cashier looked at me quizically about the muffin.  I told her I wanted a muffin but the tag said "cookie".  As she was going to fill my order I took the above picture and showed it to her.

She laughed, apparently there used to be a Red Velvet Cookie a while back.   After handing me coffee and muffin she then changed the sign.

Later on I was puzzled, how could there have been a Red Velvet Cookie tag in the store if a while back they had the cookie itself?  The store was less than three months and I don't remember seeing a Red Velvet Cookie.  Perhaps each store is issued the same set of display tags across Canada and updated as new products come out.

I scanned the store for a scarce seat to rest.  That is the major issue with this restaurant, few tables are available as it is not as wide or as deep as a regular Tim Hortons.  So the only thing they skimp on is the table space.  This results in running out of space for customers like me who wish to stay for a bite before continuing on with their downtown adventures.  The only thing I can think of is that someone at Tim Hortons miscalculated and figured more office workers would take their items to go than actually happened. Either that or the Tim Hortons franchisee just shoehorned the store in as best as possible to meet the space constraints.

The Red Velvet muffin tasted delicious!  Moist smooth semi chocolatey taste with a little white sugar filling to add additional taste.  

The coffee was the usual Tim Hortons corporate made to spec they have been doing for 50+ years now.  Great to wash down the Red Velvet Muffin.

Overall, this Tim Hortons location is a decent addition to Ottawa's downtown.  Yes this is now the 3rd Tim Hortons location south of Albert, West of Elgin, North of Laurier and Metcalfe.  But with the location on Metcalfe street being busy during rush hours and the Laurier location doing steady, this 3rd location provides some needed relief.  I find it less busy and the staff more excited yet exuding the same friendliness as the employees at the other two locations.  Orders are usually filled quickly and I'm on my way.  Now only if they could figure out the difference between a Red Velvet Muffin and a Red Velvet Cookie...