Tim Hortons Secret Menu Items You Can Actually Order (November 2025)

November 2025 update

First, how “secret menu” actually works at Tim’s

Tim Hortons isn’t In-N-Out—there’s no official secret menu. What does work at most stores are simple, fast customizations using ingredients already on hand. If it takes 5–20 seconds and doesn’t require special prep or new SKUs, you’ll usually get a yes.

Rules of the road

• Keep it one-step or two-step changes.

• Use words the POS understands (milk choice, base/no base, number of espresso shots).

• Ask politely and during non-rush times for trickier tweaks.

• Expect some regional differences (espresso bars, cold foam, and syrups vary by location).

Hot drink “secret” orders (that are really just smart tweaks)

1) Café Mocha the easy way (aka “half hot, half choc”)

Ask for: “Half brewed coffee, half hot chocolate, medium.”
Why it works: Every store can do it from the cannisters. Sweet, chocolatey, still coffee-forward.

2) Red Eye / Shot in the Dark

Ask for: “Medium brewed coffee with one espresso shot.”
Why it works: If your store has the espresso machine, this is the fastest high-caffeine upgrade.

3) London Fog (when syrups/steamers are available)

Ask for: “Earl Grey tea with steamed milk and a small splash of vanilla.”
Tip: If they don’t have vanilla, ask for milk + honey packets instead.

4) Canadiano (richer Americano)

Ask for: “Americano topped with a splash of brewed coffee instead of extra hot water.”
Why it works: Deeper roast flavor; baristas just finish with coffee at the urn.

5) Caramel-less Caramel (lower sugar latte move)

Ask for: “Latte, no syrup, extra cinnamon on top.”
Why it works: You keep the café feel without the sugar blast; cinnamon + milk foam scratches the dessert itch.

Iced & cold brew hacks (works even when the Iced Capp line is long)

6) Half-Sweet Iced Capp (light base)

Ask for: “Iced Capp half base.”
Why it works: Cuts the sweetness and calories without changing texture much. Staff know “light base.”

7) Mocha Iced Capp

Ask for: “Iced Capp with a small splash of hot chocolate (or chocolate syrup if stocked).”
Why it works: Quick chocolate note; no extra blending steps.

8) Vanilla Cold Brew with Cold Foam (where available)

Ask for: “Cold brew, one pump vanilla, cold foam on top.”
Why it works: If your store has cold foam, this is a 10-second add and tastes premium.

9) Iced Coffee ‘Milk Only’

Ask for: “Iced coffee no base, milk only.”
Why it works: Way less sugar, still creamy. You can ask “half-sweet base” if you want a hint of sweetness.

10) Black & White on Ice

Ask for: “Iced coffee with a splash of hot chocolate instead of syrup.”
Why it works: Uses the hot chocolate canister for a quick mocha vibe over ice.

Espresso-bar “insider” orders (locations with lattes/cortados)

Not every Tim’s has a full espresso setup. When they do, these are almost always possible.

11) Flat-White-ish (less foam, more coffee)

Ask for: “Latte with minimal foam and an extra ristretto shot if possible.”
Why it works: Denser coffee character without going full cappuccino.

12) Cortado-style

Ask for: “Two shots of espresso with equal parts steamed milk in a small cup.”
Why it works: Quick, balanced, strong—and easy for the barista.

13) Americano Misto

Ask for: “Americano topped with steamed milk instead of water to finish.”
Why it works: Lighter than a latte, creamier than an Americano.

Breakfast hacks (fast line, real food)

14) Open-Face English Muffin Sandwich

Ask for: “Egg & cheese on English muffin, no sauce, open-face please.”
Why it works: Portion control without losing protein; “open-face” just means you’ll eat one half.

15) Double-Egg, No Sauce

Ask for: “Breakfast sandwich add extra egg, no sauce.”
Why it works: More protein, fewer surprise calories. Staff simply add a second egg patty.

16) Oatmeal + Protein Pair

Ask for: “Plain oatmeal,” then add a side of omelette bites (or bring your own nuts/protein packet).
Why it works: Balances carbs with protein; every store can do it.

17) Hash-Brown Swap

Ask for: “No hash brown in the wrap, extra tomato/lettuce if available.”
Why it works: Wrapping without the fried potato is easy; veggies add volume.

Bakery & snack tweaks (the grown-up way to treat yourself)

18) Half-Sweet French Vanilla

Ask for: “French Vanilla half-sweet.”
Why it works: They’ll cut the powder/base and top with hot water/milk as usual.

19) DIY “Affogato-ish”

Ask for: “One espresso poured over a Chocolate Dip Timbit (or donut piece).”
Why it works: Okay, this one’s cheeky—buy a Timbit and a shot, then do the pour yourself at the table. No extra staff steps.

20) Tea Latte (any black tea)

Ask for: “Black tea with half hot water, half steamed milk.”
Why it works: Classic tea latte without syrups; quick to build.

Kids & low-sugar friendly options (that still feel special)

• Steeped Tea Lemonade-Light: “Half lemonade, half water over ice” (or half lemonade, half iced tea).

• Chocolate Milk on Ice: “Chocolate milk over ice in a small cup” (great tiny treat).

• Babyccino-ish: “Steamed milk with cinnamon (no syrup).”

Order scripts (copy/paste to your notes)

• “Medium Iced Capp half base, please.”

• “Half brewed coffee, half hot chocolate—medium.”

• “Medium brewed coffee with one espresso shot.”

• “Cold brew, one pump vanilla, cold foam on top.”

• “Latte, no syrup, extra cinnamon.”

• “Egg & cheese on English muffin, no sauce, open-face.”

• “Breakfast sandwich add extra egg, no sauce.”

• “Plain oatmeal and an order of omelette bites.”

When to try these (and when not to)

Best times: Mid-morning, mid-afternoon—not during the pre-work rush or school let-out spike.
Be flexible: If a store is missing cold foam or a syrup, ask for the closest alternative (e.g., milk instead of foam, half-sweet instead of vanilla).
Keep it tidy: If you’re doing the DIY affogato-ish, handle the pour at your table and clean up—staff will love you for it.

What not to request (to avoid a polite “no”)

• Anything that requires blending non-menu items (e.g., Timbits into the blender).

• Secret ingredients that aren’t there (e.g., seasonal syrups out of season).

• Complex multi-step builds during a rush (save them for slower periods).

• “Wayne Gretzky” sugar/cream levels (fun meme, but most people regret 9 & 9).

Rapid reference: the 10 easiest “secret” orders

1. Half-Sweet Iced Capp

2. Café Mocha (half coffee/half hot chocolate)

3. Red Eye (coffee + espresso)

4. Iced Coffee “milk only” (no base)

5. Cold Brew + vanilla + cold foam (if stocked)

6. London Fog (Earl Grey + steamed milk + hint vanilla)

7. Americano Misto (Americano finished with steamed milk)

8. Open-Face English Muffin breakfast sandwich (no sauce)

9. Double-egg breakfast sandwich (no sauce)

10. Plain oatmeal + omelette bites

Bottom line

Tim Hortons “secret menu” is really a toolkit of simple customizations: cut the sweet base by half, add an espresso shot, finish espresso drinks with milk instead of water, swap sauces, go open-face, and pair carbs with protein. Keep your asks quick and realistic, use the scripts above, and you’ll get barista-level variety from an everyday Tim’s—no secret handshake required.