Despite numerous customer requests, the Priestley doughnut will not be available in its restaurant of its origin — the Squamish Tim Hortons — staff at the local establishment say.
The fictional doughnut, created by cramming a chocolate Timbit into a strawberry vanilla doughnut, was first referenced on the television show How I Met Your Mother on Monday (Feb. 4).
Squamish Tim Hortons assistant manager Penny Olheiser on Friday (Feb. 8) said there has been significant interest in the product at her location.
“People have definitely been coming in and asking for them,” she said, laughing. “But it's pretty much impossible to even make that doughnut.”
Olheiser said her staff was confused when customers began requesting the product.
“People would come in and ask for the Priestley and at first we were like, 'What is that?'” she said. “But one of the bakers saw a post online and told us about it.”
According to Olheiser, there are no plans to bring the Priestley to Squamish, but she pointed out it's always possible to try and make your own version of the doughnut.
The idea of the Priestley doughnut came about near the end of the episode of How I Met Your Mother when several Canadian celebrities discussed the breakdown of character Robin Sparkles, a former teen superstar played on the show by Cobie Smulders.
The celebrities shared which Tim Hortons they were at and which doughnut they were eating when Sparkles had her breakdown. Jason Priestley, who gained fame as a cast member on Beverly Hills 90210, remembers being in Squamish and cramming a Timbit into a strawberry vanilla doughnut, thus inventing The Priestley.
Tim Hortons joined on the fun, tweeting a photo of The Priestley. But further comments from the company indicate that the product will not be offered at any of its locations. A poll on the CBC website has seen more than 78 per cent of respondents wanting Tim Hortons to put the doughnut on its menu.
