PATH FORWARD: STRATEGIC CHOICES While the merger talks were exciting, Tim Hortons had to continue implementing its strategic plan. There were important options to consider. Its recent crispy chicken sandwich was beginning to resemble products found at McDonald's. Menu innovations to target the dinner market could include more complex items. This would change the food operation of the kitchen and the length of time required to prepare the food. Were there other menu innovations Tim Hortons should consider to drive customer traffic to stores? Geographic expansion opportunities seemed limitless. Canadian and US. expansion were a priority, but where should it occur and in what order? All of Tim Hortons' competitors were either already present or were expanding into Europe; should this market share just be ceded to them? Tim Hortons had a different brand presence in each of its three existing jurisdictions Canada, the United States and the GCC. Should the company be positioned the same way in each area with the same marketing, menu and pricing? And how could the partnership with Burger King help with this expansion? Finally, how could Tim Hortons take advantage of food trends? Food trucks were becoming popular, and Starbucks was experimenting with coffee trucks on university and college campuses. Tim Hortons had experience using semi-mobile retail space while stores were undergoing renovations. Was this type of alternative store format something it should try, recognizing that it was outside the franchise model? To have an international presence, Tim Hortons would need nancial resources, organizational capabilities, store saturation, product innovation and brand recognition to compete with some of the world's largest and best known quick-service companies. The potential merger with Burger King would help, but would it be enough to create a competitive advantage on a global scale