Head to head · QSR / Coffee & Bakery✓ VERIFIED · 2026-07-12
Tim Hortons vs Krispy Kreme: units, growth & AI adoption
Tim Hortons leads on AI adoption (63/100 vs 52/100), while Krispy Kreme is the larger system by unit count (14,000 points vs 5,800+). Tim Hortons is growing faster year-over-year (+3.1%). Data verified Q3 2026.
| Metric | Tim Hortons | Krispy Kreme |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | QSR / Coffee & Bakery | QSR / Coffee & Bakery |
| Headquarters | Canada | USA |
| Units (approx.) | 5,800+ | 14,000 points ◂ |
| Unit growth YoY | +3.1% ◂ | +2.5% |
| AI Adoption Score | 63/100 ◂ | 52/100 |
| Operations AI | 60 ◂ | 54 |
| Marketing AI | 70 ◂ | 56 |
| Training AI | 55 ◂ | 42 |
| Data infrastructure | 66 ◂ | 54 |
| Region | North America | North America |
| Index rank | #25 ◂ | #41 |
Tim Hortons
RBI coffee brand with a large China expansion program; loyalty-data AI is the strongest capability.
FULL TIM HORTONS PROFILE →Krispy Kreme
Hub-and-spoke fresh-delivery model; AI used in production planning and delivery routing for its points-of-access network.
FULL KRISPY KREME PROFILE →Franchise Intelligence Index
Compare every tracked system — full benchmarks, updated quarterly.
SOURCE: FRANCHISEPULSE FRANCHISE INTELLIGENCE INDEX, Q3 2026 · FREE TO CITE WITH ATTRIBUTION + LINK