Tim Hortons

Tim Horton's shots repelled by Dunk's?

A few scant years after making its first forays into lower New England, Tim Horton's announced today that it is closing all of its locations in MA, RI, and CT-- 36 stores and 18 kiosks, according to the AP. Two stores in Portland are closing, though a couple of dozen other Maine locations will remain.

Is this more evidence of Dunkin' Dominance? The short article doesn't suggest why these stores weren't profitable, but geography seems to play a role: the company plans to open 300 more stores in the coming year.

So when we do we get an all-out donut war in Massachusetts?

On WBUR's Public Radio Kitchen, Susan McGrory notes the full-frontal assault launched in another Dunkin' Donuts hotbed - Manhattan - by Canadian donut powerhouse Tim Hortons.

Could it happen here? The Canadians are a lot closer than you might think. Take a look at the map below, which shows Tim Hortons outlets in the Providence area. There are even a few just over the border. Unlike Krispy Kreme, Tim Hortons seems a more worthy matchup for our Dunk's - they have a similar menu. If they did try to move into DD's ancestral homeland, though, who would get hurt more? Dunkin' Donuts or Honey Dew Donuts?

Tim Hortons in Little Rhody