LONDON Ontario A Tim Hortons franchisee has reinstated an employee who was fired for giving a free doughnut hole to a restless child.
Nicole Lilliman, a single mother of four, was terminated after she was seen giving one of the 16-cent doughnut holes, called Timbits, to the child who came in with a regular customer earlier this week, according to published reports.
Lilliman, who had worked at the restaurant for three years, went home and called a reporter. The news report set off a firestorm of protest in Canada, with consumers sharply criticizing Hortons on public websites. Some pointed out that some Hortons are known to give a free Timbit to the dogs of drive-thru customers.
Soon afterward, Lilliman received a call offering her a job at another Tim Hortons store, the Toronto Star reported.
Aspokeswoman for the Oakville, Ontario-based doughnut chain said the company does not have a corporate policy regarding giving away food. Although franchise owners are free to set their own policies, firing Lilliman “was an overreaction and not appropriate,” said spokeswoman Rachel Douglas.
Lilliman went back to work at another unit for the chain. She told the media she had a strained relationship with her manager before the Timbit incident and plans to look eventually for another job.
Tim Horton’s operates or franchises 2,839 units in Canada and 399 in the United States.
