Canadian coffee and donut institution Tim Hortons has announced plans to open its first restaurant in London later this year, with drive-thru.

The multinational fast-food chain is set to open at Royale Leisure Park in west London, with space for 100 diners, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner options.

The company, which was founded in Ontario in 1964 by Canadian hockey player Tim Horton, is the North American version of Costa.

The retailer is best known for its best-selling Timbits – bites of their top-selling donuts, in flavors such as Apple Fritter, Honey Dip and Chocolate Glaze – Crispy Chicken Sandwich and Double Double.

A double double is a coffee containing two creams and two sugars – double the usual amount.

Delivery options will also be available once its doors open, although an exact date has yet to be confirmed.

The company came to the UK in 2017 and now has 51 outposts across the UK, with flagship stores in Manchester, Birmingham, Belfast and Leicester.

Known as “Timmie’s” across Canada, the chain now has nearly 5,000 restaurants worldwide, including in the Middle East and Asia.

The brand has come under fire, however, for its use of single-use plastic, with Tim Hortons containers accounting for 11% of branded plastic waste collected by Greenpeace Canada in 2019.

Kevin Hydes, Commercial Director of Tim Hortons UK, said: “It seems like the time is right for a move to the capital and Park Royal offers an excellent drive-thru and catering location for our customers, with capable travelers to come from all over London to get their fix of Tim Hortons.

“We pride ourselves on our quality and value offering and know that our versatile menu will be hugely popular with Londoners.”

He added: “This is just the start of our arrival in London, and we look forward to sharing more details in the months to come.”