Tim Hortons Now Serves Matcha: Price, Calories, Taste and What to Know Before You Order
Since July 22, 2026, Tim Hortons serves matcha across Canada: five drinks, hot and iced, around $4 to $5. Is it real matcha? What does it taste like? How many calories, how much caffeine? We went through the press release, the menus and the first published reviews to answer everything you're wondering.
Yes, it's official: on July 22, 2026, Tim Hortons launched a full lineup of matcha beverages at participating restaurants across Canada. Five drinks on the menu: three iced lattes (original, unsweetened, and vanilla with cold foam) and two hot lattes (plain and vanilla). The company describes the matcha as "100% pure and authentic," made from shade-grown leaves ground into a fine powder. The first media taste tests are more measured on flavour. We break it all down, without any gatekeeping: when the country's biggest coffee chain adds matcha to its menu, that's good news for everyone who loves this tea.
Already into matcha and looking for a serious powder for home? Head to the Bian Matcha shop: Japanese matcha from Uji, first harvest, documented origin and cultivar, shipped from Quebec with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
What Exactly Did Tim Hortons Launch?
On July 22, 2026, Tim Hortons added five matcha beverages to its Canadian menu, available at participating restaurants:
- Original Iced Matcha Latte: the base version, lightly sweetened, served over ice.
- Unsweetened Iced Matcha Latte: the same drink with no added sugar. The closest you'll get to the actual taste of the powder.
- Vanilla Iced Matcha Latte with Cold Foam: the indulgent version, topped with vanilla cold foam.
- Hot Matcha Latte: matcha and steamed milk, plain and simple.
- Hot Vanilla Matcha Latte: the flavoured hot version.
In its press release, the company describes a matcha made from shade-grown green tea leaves that are picked, dried, then double ground at low temperature into a fine powder. Tim Hortons' head of innovation presents the launch as a way to reach both experienced matcha drinkers and curious newcomers looking for an alternative to coffee. Translation: matcha is no longer a niche, it's now a mainstream product in Canada.
How Much Does Matcha Cost at Tim Hortons?
Tim Hortons doesn't post a national price (it varies by restaurant), but according to the first published reviews, including a taste test by Montreal outlet MTL Blog, expect around $3.99 for a hot or unsweetened iced matcha latte, and around $4.99 for the vanilla version with cold foam. That's noticeably cheaper than a matcha latte at a specialty café, where the same drink runs $6 to $8.
| Drink | Approximate price | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Hot Matcha Latte | $3.99 | about 150 |
| Unsweetened Iced Matcha Latte | $3.99 | about 130 |
| Vanilla Iced Matcha Latte with Cold Foam | $4.99 | about 320 |
Exact prices can vary by location and size. Calorie-wise, the vanilla version clearly plays in dessert territory: the sweet cold foam more than doubles the calorie count compared to the unsweetened version.
For perspective: a matcha latte made at home with a quality powder dosed at 2 g comes out to about $1.20 plus milk. Tim's is unbeatable for drive-thru convenience, but on a matcha a day, home wins by a wide margin.
Is Tim Hortons Matcha Real Matcha?
That's THE question everyone's asking, so let's look at what the facts allow us to say.
What Tim Hortons claims: a "100% pure and authentic" matcha, made from quality shade-grown green tea leaves, double ground at low temperature. Shading before harvest and fine low-temperature grinding are indeed the two markers of real matcha: that's what develops L-theanine and preserves the vibrant green colour. Nothing to argue with there. MTL Blog's taste test also noted real powder sediment at the bottom of the cup, a sign there's actual matcha in the drink and not just green syrup.
What the press release doesn't say: the region of origin, the harvest year and rank, the cultivar. In the matcha world, those three pieces of information are what separate an exceptional powder from a decent powder destined for milk-and-sugar blends. A first-harvest matcha from Uji and a late-harvest matcha can both be labelled "100% pure matcha": the first is a pleasure to drink straight, the second needs milk and sugar to be enjoyable. At $4 a drink, expecting a grand cru would be unrealistic, and that's fine: every product has its use.
Verdict: yes, it's real matcha in the strict sense. But "real matcha" and "exceptional matcha" are two different conversations. If you want to learn to read between the lines of a label, our guide on choosing your matcha explains exactly what to look for: harvest, origin, colour, texture.
What Does It Taste Like? What the First Reviews Say
We won't lie: we haven't lined up at the drive-thru with our bamboo whisk yet. But the first media taste tests are out, and they all point in the same direction.
MTL Blog tried three of the five drinks and came away with a nuanced verdict: the hot latte was described as watery, with the matcha sitting quietly behind the milk; the unsweetened iced version, a bit flat; and the vanilla cold foam version, the most successful of the three, but closer to dessert than to tea. Chatelaine also published its own taste test of the iced versions. The short version of the early reactions: an affordable, accessible entry point, but with a matcha intensity that trails what specialty matcha bars serve.
That's not surprising, and it's not a scandal either. A chain serving millions of customers a day optimizes for consistency and speed, not for the ritual of whisking to order. If your first Tim's matcha leaves you wanting more flavour, don't conclude that matcha isn't for you: you tasted a diluted, standardized version of a tea that has much more to offer.
Why Is Everyone Talking About Matcha in 2026?
The Tim Hortons launch didn't come out of nowhere. Matcha is having its biggest years ever: global demand has exploded to the point of straining supply in Japan, matcha bars are multiplying in major cities, and social media turned the green latte into a cultural phenomenon.
Behind the trend, there are solid reasons why people adopt matcha and keep it in their routine:
- Steadier energy than coffee. Matcha contains caffeine, but paired with L-theanine, an amino acid that softens the spike and stretches out the effect. Many describe a calm focus, without the jitters or the afternoon crash.
- You consume the whole leaf. Unlike steeped tea, matcha powder is drunk entirely, antioxidants included.
- A ritual that feels good. Two minutes whisking your bowl in the morning has become, for a lot of people, a small moment to themselves before the day takes off.
When the biggest coffee chain in Canada adds matcha to its permanent menu, it confirms one thing: matcha isn't a passing fad, it's a habit settling in.
How Much Caffeine Is in a Matcha Latte?
Tim Hortons hadn't published the caffeine content of its new drinks at the time of writing. As a general benchmark: a standard serving of matcha (about 2 g of powder) contains around 60 to 70 mg of caffeine, versus roughly 100 to 140 mg for a cup of drip coffee. A matcha latte gives you a real lift, but a gentler one than coffee, and the tea's L-theanine smooths the effect over several hours.
That's exactly what makes matcha a great afternoon option: enough energy to finish the day, not enough to wreck your night. If you're sensitive to caffeine, the unsweetened version in a standard size remains the most predictable choice.
Liked Your First Tim's Matcha? Here's the Logical Next Step
If the green latte from the drive-thru won you over, great: you just discovered the introductory version. The next step is tasting what a fresh, first-harvest powder, properly whisked, can do. The difference is the same order of magnitude as between gas-station coffee and a micro-roaster espresso: same family, different experience.
And here's the good news: the homemade version costs less than the drive-thru. With a quality latte-grade powder dosed at 2 g per cup, your latte comes out to about $1.20 plus milk, versus $4 to $5 at Tim's. On one latte a day, that's more than $80 of difference per month, for an intensity of flavour you control yourself.
Bian Matcha, Quebec
Ready for the next step? Matcha the way Japan drinks it, at home.
Japanese matcha from Uji, first harvest, full traceability. Shipped from Quebec, 14-day money-back guarantee.
A bold profile built for milk: the matcha comes through, even iced. 100 g, about 50 lattes at $1.20 each.
$45.90 See Barista No.1
Okumidori from Uji, first harvest, smooth and umami. To taste matcha the way it's served in Japan.
$54.90 See Ceremonial No.3
Ceremonial No.3 and Barista No.1 together: about 75 servings to find your ritual.
$85.90 See the Discovery PackOn the gear side, you don't need a $30,000 bar: a chasen whisk, or a simple shaker for iced lattes, and you're set. The Complete Matcha Set covers the essentials, and our guides on how to make matcha and the iced matcha latte recipe teach you the technique in two minutes. You can even recreate Tim's vanilla cold foam version at home, better, with the actual taste of the tea.
FAQ: Matcha at Tim Hortons
Which matcha drinks does Tim Hortons offer?+
Five drinks since July 22, 2026: the Original Iced Matcha Latte, the Unsweetened Iced Matcha Latte, the Vanilla Iced Matcha Latte with Cold Foam, the Hot Matcha Latte and the Hot Vanilla Matcha Latte. They're available at participating restaurants across Canada.
How much is a matcha latte at Tim Hortons?+
According to the first published reviews, about $3.99 for the hot and unsweetened iced versions, and about $4.99 for the vanilla cold foam version. Prices vary by location and size. For comparison, a matcha latte at a specialty café runs $6 to $8, and the homemade version about $1.20 plus milk.
How many calories in Tim Hortons matcha?+
Based on the numbers reported in early media taste tests: about 130 calories for the unsweetened iced latte, 150 for the hot latte, and about 320 for the vanilla iced latte with cold foam. The unsweetened version remains the lightest choice.
Is Tim Hortons matcha real matcha?+
Yes. Tim Hortons describes a 100% pure matcha made from shade-grown leaves ground into a fine powder, and early taste tests observed real powder sediment in the cup. However, the company doesn't specify the region of origin, the harvest or the cultivar, the three criteria that separate an exceptional matcha from an entry-level one.
How much caffeine is in a matcha latte?+
Tim Hortons hasn't published the exact caffeine content of these drinks. In general, a 2 g serving of matcha contains about 60 to 70 mg of caffeine, versus 100 to 140 mg for drip coffee. The effect is gentler and steadier thanks to the L-theanine naturally present in the tea.
Is Tim Hortons matcha available everywhere in Canada?+
Yes, the lineup has been available at participating Tim Hortons restaurants across Canada since July 22, 2026, in hot and iced versions.
Which Tim Hortons matcha drink should I try first?+
If you want to taste the matcha itself, go for the Unsweetened Iced Matcha Latte: it's the least dressed-up version. If you have a sweet tooth, the vanilla cold foam version is the most indulgent according to early reviews, but it's closer to a dessert than a tea.
How do I get a stronger matcha taste than at Tim's?+
Make it yourself with a first-harvest powder: 2 g of matcha, a splash of water to whisk, then your milk. A bold latte-grade matcha like the Barista No.1 from Uji holds its flavour even in cold milk, and a first-harvest ceremonial grade drinks beautifully straight. It takes two minutes and costs about $1.20 per cup.
Keep reading: our guide on choosing your matcha, where to buy matcha in Canada, and the method for making traditional matcha at home.
