Q : What is that "cloud" of words on the home page?

A : It represents all the topics that people are telling stories about. The bigger the word, the more popular that subject is. Think of it like a map you can use to explore all the stories on our site

Q : Who can add a story?

A : Anyone can add a story as long as they are 13 years of age or older. We welcome stories from Tim Hortons coffee-lovers from around the world!

Q : What can I talk about?

A : As long as it's a true story and includes something about how Tim Hortons, or our coffee has been a part of your life, you can talk about whatever you want!

Q : What are the technical restrictions for posting a video or images?

A : We welcome you to submit your story with a photo or a video. We do have some technical restrictions:

Photos:

Photos must be a maximum of 5MB in size and saved in one of the following formats: GIF, JPG, PNG, and BMP.

Videos:

Individual video files must be smaller than 100MB in size and be saved in one of the following formats: AVI (Proprietary codecs may not work), WMV, MOV (AVID or other proprietary codecs may not work), MPEG (1, 2, and 4), 3gp and FLV.

Q : Why is my story or comment not posted as soon as I write it?

A : At Every Cup, we want to create a community for coffee-lovers to share their true Tim Hortons stories in a warm and welcoming environment.

That's why stories and comments are screened by a moderator to keep out any inappropriate or abusive content. We encourage you to tell your stories and comment on the stories you love in a way that's positive, encouraging, and fun for everyone.

This means that your stories and comments will not appear on the site immediately. But don't worry. If your story is accepted it should be posted soon. And if your story isn't accepted the first time, you'll be able to edit and re-submit it.

Q : When will my story be posted?

A : Assuming your story is approved, it should be posted within 24 hours. You'll receive a notice by email telling you that your story has been posted. If it needs to be edited in order to be accepted, you'll receive an email with a link to go back and change your story.

Q : Why was my story not accepted?

A : There are a number of reasons why your story couldn't be accepted. Stories containing inappropriate language or content won't be posted. Your story may also have contained copyrighted material that we can't legally post. Your story may also have been difficult to understand or unclear.

Q : What does copyrighted material mean?

A : This could include music or video that's already protected under copyright (such as movies or popular music) or a copyrighted image (such as a logo or photograph) that we can't legally show. We do, however, welcome your own home photos and video – they make your story even better!

Q : When I send a story to a friend, what will they receive?

A : The email will simply tell them that you've sent a story you think they might like – and invite them to share their own story. The full text of the email is below:

Subject Line:
Your friend thinks you'd love this Tim Hortons story.

Email:
Hi (Your friend's name),

Every Cup Tells a Story®.

(Your name) thought you'd enjoy this one.

Read the story.

We'd love to hear your story, too. Share it at Every Cup.

Thanks,
The Tim Hortons Team