FAQs
It's our Sweet Sixteen!
Please celebrate our 16th Anniversary with us, and enjoy 25% off coffee bags on orders $75+ and 20% off coffee bags on orders under $75. Online and in-store May 12-13.
Sale offers cannot be applied to orders placed before May 12th. All online sale orders are final. Offer ends May 13th at 11:59 pm ET.
Please note we roast, pack and ship Monday to Friday, with the exception of Holidays. Due to the high volume of orders we receive during sale events, processing and shipping estimates may be longer than usual. Sale orders may take up to 3-4 business days longer to fulfill.
Online Orders
Yes! We roast and ship orders Monday through Friday, except for holidays.
For the best results, we recommend letting your coffee rest for at least 3-5 days for most brew methods or 7+ days for espresso after roasting. This allows the beans to release CO2, resulting in a more flavorful and clear cup. Recommended rest time for each coffee can be found on their respective product pages.
Yes! We're happy to offer pick-up at our roastery location for online order. You may select this option at the checkout.
At this time in store pick-up for online orders is only available at the roastery at 50 Wagstaff Drive, Toronto.
Once your order is fulfilled, a shipping confirmation email will be sent including a 'TRACK ORDER' link to track your order through Shopify and a tracking link through the shipping provider. If you don't receive a shipping confirmation within 2 business days, please check your spam or promotions folder. For account orders, track it on your account page. If you still need help tracking your order, email us at [email protected] for support.
We're not able to offer an espresso grind for online orders. For online orders the ground setting is a coarse medium grind best suited for drip, pour over and french press. However, if you visit our cafes or place a cafe order through our app, the baristas can help you using our cafe equipment.
Our ground coffee option is a coarse medium grind suitable for Auto Drip, French Press, Pourover methods. For further guidance on grind settings please visit our Home Brewing Guides.
Unfortunately once your order has been placed we can't guarantee that changes can be made to your order, but if you notice there is an error shortly after the order has been placed, please reach out to our customer success team and they will do their best to assist.
To request a change to your order please reach out to our customer success through email: [email protected]
Our customer success team will do their best to ensure that your order is delivered to the right address. If you notice any errors or need a change made to the shipping address please reach out to us here or at [email protected] and we will assist you shortly. If the order has already been shipped, we recommend first contacting the shipping courier through the tracking provided as that may be the quickest way to update the delivery address.
If you or the intended recipient have not received the digital gift card after the order has been placed or the scheduled time, it is most likely, the email has gone to spam or there was an error in the email address. If sending the gift card to yourself, please check your spam, if the gift card is not received, please contact support at [email protected].
If your package is marked as delivered by the shipping courier tracking provided, and you have not received the order and are unable to retrieve it, please contact [email protected] for further assistance.
If you haven’t received your order and you haven’t received a shipping confirmation after 2 business days* after the order has been placed, please contact support at [email protected]
*Orders placed during sales can expect longer than usual processing times. Please contact support for an update if you have not received a shipping confirmation within 7 days of placing an order.
We strive to provide a smooth service, but if there are any issues with a shipment you received from Pilot Coffee Roasters, please contact our team at hello@pilotcoffeeroasters with the order number, details of the issue and photos attached if applicable and we will be happy to assist.
Can I use my e-gift card in a cafe or my physical gift card online?
Yes, both digital and physical Gift Cards purchased after November 1st, 2022 can be used online or in any cafe location. If you purchased an e-gift certificate before November 1, 2022, your gift certificate will not work in cafe locations by default. If you would like to update your older gift card to allow for in-cafe purchases please contact our customer support team here or by email at [email protected].
My recipient didn't receive their gift card. What can I do?
First, it's always a good idea to ask them to check their spam folder. If it's not there, it is possible that their email domain has blocked the gift card email from coming through. This is sometimes the case with corporate email domains. Please reach out to our customer support team here or by email at [email protected] and we can resend the gift card to an alternate email.
Can I order a large quantity of gift cards at once?
Yes, we can support bulk orders for both digital and physical cards. Please reach out to our customer support team here or by email at [email protected] and we can coordinate your order.
We're not able to guarantee that our team will be able to cancel an order before it is in production, but if you would like to cancel an order, please reach out to our customer success team at [email protected] and they will do their best to assist.
Coffee
We generally do not accept returns on roasted coffee, but if you are not happy with your purchase don’t hesitate to contact us and we will do our best to assist you.
Merchandise + Brewing Gear
We can exchange any faulty or broken merchandise, accessories or brewing equipment orders within 30 days of the receipt date (for cafe purchases) or delivery date (for online purchases). Please send us an email with as many details to arrange a replacement order.
If you're having trouble logging in you can sign in using the Magic link sign-in, this will send a verification code to your mobile number and email address associated with your account.
If you don't receive an email after attempting to recover your password, please email our team [email protected] for assistance, we're more than happy to help!
Subscriptions
Subscription Cashback Rewards
Subscribers earn 3.5% cashback with every recurring order. After your order is processed, a cashback reward will be credited to your account. Rewards can be redeemed with a future online purchase or subscription add-ons, such as extra coffee bags and filters.Cashback rewards accumulate with every subscription order and can only be redeemed while a subscription is active. If you choose to cancel, the balance of your rewards will no longer be available. Subscription cashback rewards can not be converted into cash and only apply to coffee, select brewing gear, and coffee filters purchased on our website.
Additional Perks
Subscribers save 10% on essentials like coffee filters, select brewing gear, merch, and coffee when added to an upcoming shipments. Visit your subscription management portal for more details. Occasionally, you’ll also receive exclusive offers, invitations, and other surprises in your shipments, subscription portal or directly to your inbox.
Subscription Cashback Rewards
As a subscriber you earn 3.5% subscription cashback with every recurring subscription order. Subscription cashback is added to your subscription account with every subscription order processed. The subscription cashback can be redeemed with an upcoming order and any available add-ons to your upcoming subscription shipment including additional coffee, filters and select brewing gear.
Subscription cashback rewards continue to grow while your subscription remains active. If you wish to cancel your subscription account, we recommend using existing subscription cashback rewards before doing so, as to not risk forfeiting those rewards.
Subscription cashback rewards can not be converted into cash and only apply to coffee, select brewing gear and coffee filters. Subscription cashback rewards can only be applied to online orders at this time.
Referrals - Give $10, Get $10
Send new to Pilot customers $10 in credit towards their first online coffee bean purchase or $50 or more. After a successful eligible referral, subscribers earn $10 in subscription cashback rewards, which will be automatically added to your account. See the full terms and conditions here.
Additional Perks
Subscribers save 10% on essentials like coffee filters, select brewing gear, merch and coffee when added to their upcoming shipments. Additional items can be added to future orders through your subscription management portal.
From time to time, you’ll also receive offers, invitations, and other surprises in your shipments, subscription portal or directly to your inbox.
The Roaster’s Choice–which is curated by, you guessed it, our roasters – lets subscribers explore our most recent single origin beans. The coffees featured under Roaster’s Choice are not publicly announced and rotate regularly, but always represent what our roasters are enjoying at the moment. A great option for the more adventurous coffee lovers out there!
Typically each bag of Roaster's Choice within a shipment will be a different coffee, depending on the number of bags ordered.
Roaster's Choice does not include decaffeinated coffee.
Feature Espresso brings you the same single-origin coffee we carefully select to serve in our cafes as the feature espresso each month, chosen specifically for its exceptional performance on espresso. This lets you enjoy our feature espresso of the month, at home!
This does not include decaffeinated coffee.
Subscriptions* are billed for every shipment at the selected frequency. Your first order is processed and billed at the checkout when creating a new subscription.
*Gift subscriptions are billed once at the time of purchase.
Your first subscription will be ready to ship within two business days. See the Shipping section of our Help Center for more delivery details. If you’d like to request a custom start date, send us an email and we’ll make the arrangements for you!
This is usually due to a billing issue. Double-check that all of your billing and payment information is up to date. If any changes are required, your payment method can be updated through the link in the email. If there are no updates to be made to your subscription, you may need to contact your bank regarding this charge.
Shipping
Our roastery and production facility operates Monday-Friday, with the exception of public holidays. Canada wide orders placed before 3pm EST are shipped the following business day, orders placed after 3pm are shipped within 2 business days.
Orders shipping to the US are typically shipped within 2 business days.
Below are the estimated number of business days for delivery by region once the order has been shipped:
Ontario + Quebec – 1-2 Days
Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia + Prince Edward Island – 3-4 Days
British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan + Newfoundland – 5-7 Days
Northwest Territories, Yukon + Nunavut – 5+ days
Remote addresses / PO Boxes are delivered by Canada Post and may require an additional 1-2 business days.
Metropolitan U.S. areas – 5-8 Days
Rural U.S. areas – 5-7 Days
These are estimates based on average shipping times. It is possible for orders to arrive earlier or later due to a variety of factors. Once your order has shipped, view your tracking for updated estimated delivery times.
If shipping to a business address please add the business name in the shipping address.
We ship with FleetOptics, UPS, Canada Post and GoBolt
For quick and easy service, we automatically select the best provider for you based on the address entered at checkout. In certain circumstances, deliveries may be delivered by Canada Post, this can include orders shipping to PO boxes, particular rural addresses and other unique circumstances.
Tracking can take up to 48 hours to update. If you’re still experiencing issues after that time, it is best to contact the shipping provider directly.
Note: We will always help customers locate their in-transit orders, but inquiring with the shipping provider is usually the quickest way to get updates once a package has left our roastery.
If your order is delayed while in transit, please first contact the shipping provider for more tracking information. If the tracking is not updated within the amount of time advised by the shipping provider, please reach out to our customer success team here for support.
If we are experiencing an unusually high volume of online orders there may be a delay preparing your shipment. After a sale, for example, customers should expect up to a 3-6 day delay before their orders are packed and ready to ship.
At this time we are only offering shipping to Canada and the United States. Please see our estimated shipping times listed above.
We offer free standard shipping for orders over $45. For orders below $45, the shipping fee will be displayed at the checkout based on the delivery address.
About Our Coffee
The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) defines ‘specialty coffee’ as Arabica coffee with a cup score of 80+ points on a 100-point grading system. The coffee must be cupped by a certified Q-Grader, or quality grader, who is credentialed to score coffees based on the standards developed by the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s (SCAA).
Pilot Coffee only sources coffees that have received a grading of 84-points or higher.
Direct Trade means working directly with the producers who share their high quality specialty coffees with the roastery. It’s a sourcing philosophy that emphasizes genuine relationships, mutual benefit and full transparency between producer, roaster and consumer. Through Direct Trade, we know the premium prices we pay go straight into the hands of our producer partners. And by travelling to origin regularly, we know first-hand that each coffee we purchase has been produced ethically, sustainably and with the highest level of skill and care.
While Direct Trade is not always accessible for a variety of reasons, most of the coffees we source meet our Direct Trade policy standard. Look for the Direct Trade icon on our bags that indicate when this standard has been met.
To learn more about our sourcing philosophy visit our Direct Trade page.
As roasters we target the sweetest point in each coffee's development. We believe that point is typically unlocked within the spectrum of a medium roast, which produces a clear expression of each coffee's unique profile.This philosophy–known as omni-roasting–gives you the flexibility to enjoy our entire lineup of coffees by any brew method: from filter to espresso!
The roast scale on the product page and shown on the bag indicates the roast level within the medium roast change.
Our coffees are roasted to be enjoyed with all brewing methods.
We follow a philosophy known as omni-roasting which means the coffee has been roasted to be prepared and enjoyed with any brewing method from filter to espresso, it all comes down to personal preference!
If you’re interested in a classic espresso profile that’s available year round, you may want to try Heritage, our signature blend served as espresso at all of our cafe locations.
The brewing parameters can be found on the coffee product page. If the brewing parameters are not yet available on the coffee product page, our team is still working on them and they will be available shortly. If you would like the brewing parameters for a coffee that is no longer listed on our website, please reach out to us at [email protected] and we would be happy to provide them for you!
Our coffees do not have added flavouring. The tasting notes listed on the packaging are the natural flavour notes of the coffee that our team of coffee experts has identified during the cupping process, similar to the way a sommelier would identify tasting notes in a wine.
Unfortunately we're not able to provide the caffeine content for our coffee beans. There are many variables that will affect the caffeine content of a beverage, including the exact dry dose of coffee used each time, brewing method and extraction time.
If brewing at home and trying to reduce, but not avoid caffeine altogether, brewing with a blend of your favourite beans and a decaffeinated coffee like Catalyst can be an enjoyable way to reduce caffeine intake.
Our Catalyst decaf coffee is decaffeinated by Descafecol: the first and only decaffeination plant in Colombia.
Descafecol uses sugar cane Ethyl Acetate decaffeination which is a natural decaffeination process that maintains the integrity of green coffee flavour. Not only does EA processing provide excellent, even sweeter cup quality, a decaffeination partnership with the coffee producer at origin lowers our carbon footprint and is more environmentally friendly.
If you'd like, you can read for more information on the EA decaffeination process from Descafecol here.
While we appreciate the nuance of every bean, we also understand that palates and taste preferences vary. To help you find the perfect cup, we share the following details on our bags and labels:
Origin Details:
All single origin coffee labels include country, growing region, growing altitude, farm name, producer name and coffee varietal.
Tasting Notes:
Our roasters will taste and assess each coffee to identify three distinct tasting notes; the first two describe taste and the third describes the texture or ‘mouthfeel.’
Roast Profile Sliding Scale:
Our custom 'Light-to-Dark' scale represents a spectrum within our medium roast profile. Coffees on the 'Light Roast' end of the scale will typically be more 'Adventurous', while coffees on the 'Dark Roast' end will be more 'Classic'.
Roast Date:
We roast, bag and ship our coffee Monday through Friday. Coffee ordered online will typically arrive within seven days of its roast date.
Best Before Date:
While your coffee won't 'go bad', the complexity and intensity of flavour will diminish over time. Your coffee is optimal for brewing one week after the roast date, and we recommend enjoying your coffee within six months of roasting.
'Direct Trade' Icon:
Direct Trade means 'relationship coffee'. These coffees are purchased directly from our producer partners and allow us to share their unique story. Learn more about Direct Trade.
Biotre 2.0 Logo:
Our 300g coffee bags are made from renewable and compostable resources such as wood pulp. BiotrēTM is an environmentally friendly option that uses less fossil fuels during manufacturing and has a significantly lower carbon footprint than most packaging on the market. Additionally, our bags are resealable and feature a degassing valve to maintain each coffees quality.
Yes. We work directly with coffee growers to source 100% specialty grade arabica beans with an 85+ cupping score which have been graded by licensed Q-graders and assessed for quality, defects and mold, and we ensure the beans are stored optimally to maintain their integrity.
We test the moisture levels of the beans multiple times in house prior to final packaging. This allows us to assess in real time if the beans have reached moisture levels that would support the growth of mold.
Pilot Coffee Roasters App + Loyalty Rewards
Pilot's Cafe Loyalty Program allows customers to earn points with every cafe purchase. To create a Loyalty Profile, either download the Cafe Order + Delivery App (available for iOS and android) and fill out your account information, or provide your name and phone number to a barista who can create a profile for you at the check out.
We only require your phone number to:
- Set up your Loyalty Profile
- Update your payment method
- Add a new payment method.
Once those details are confirmed, and your payment method is linked to your account, you will automatically collect loyalty points with every purchase when that card is used. Up to three cards can be linked to an account. It’s that simple!
Orders can be placed up to two days in advance. Coffee bags and retail items will be held for 48hrs before the order is cancelled and refunded, perishable items such as prepared beverages and baked goods will not be replaced for pick ups past the selected pick up time and will not be refunded.
If you need to cancel an order for pick up, please try calling the selected cafe location or send an email to [email protected] with your order number and phone number associated with the account.
App notifications are sent when an order is received, in progress, has been picked up by a courier and/or is ready for pick up. To receive these updates, turn on app notifications in your phone settings.
To collect loyalty points through the app for cafe purchases you must have a phone number attached to your account. If your account details are filled out and you do not see points being allocated with your purchase, please contact us at [email protected] for assistance.
Your Cafe Loyalty Profile and Online Account Login are two separate accounts. Unfortunately, loyalty points cannot be redeemed for online purchases at this time. We understand this may be an inconvenience. The good news is we are working on a loyalty solution for online customers! In the meantime, you can sign up to our newsletter for exclusive online offers and promotions.
Other FAQ
Unfortunately we don't offer custom label coffee bags, but we do offer a bulk discount on 300g bags for quantities of 20+ bags ranging from a 10-25% discount. For more information on bulk coffee orders, please check out our page here.
We're sorry to say that we don't offer catering, however 96oz take out coffee carafes are available for pick up by pre-order for small groups, they are best suited for 10-12 coffees.
Disposable coffee carafes can be ordered from the cafe location in quantities of 1 or 2 from most of our cafes, except for a few locations including the Wagstaff Roastery, Union Station and Bay + Adelaide. Please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] if you have any further questions or would like to get in touch with the team at one of our cafe locations to place an order.
Thank you for thinking of us! Unfortunately our cafe locations are not available to rent for public or private events.
Green coffee beans are not available for purchase, all beans available for purchase are roasted by Pilot Coffee Roasters.
Unfortunately we're not able to offer custom roasting services for personal green bean supplies.
Unfortunately we do not offer custom white label roasts.
The Heritage blend is our most popular blend. Great when prepared with any brewing method, especially espresso.
Heritage is our espresso blend used at all of our cafes.
Cafes
Pilot Coffee Roasters operates cafes throughout Toronto and Southern Ontario. To see if there is a Pilot location near you, head over to our locations page for a list of our current cafes or click the help center section for the corresponding city below:
Cafes in Toronto
Cafes in Oakville
Cafes in Waterloo
Download our app to order ahead and collect loyalty points with every purchase. Available on iOS and android.
Get directions to your nearest Pilot Cafe in Toronto on google maps. To order ahead, download our mobile app on iOS or android.
DOWNTOWN
100 King Street W.
First Canadian Place – Concourse Level
M5X 1A9
Bay + Adelaide
Bay Adelaide Centre
333 Bay Street, Toronto
M5H 2R2
Bay + Bloor
Manulife Centre Main level South
55 Bloor Street W. Toronto
M4W 1A6
Union Station
Front Street Promenade
65 Front Street W. Toronto
M5J 1E6
EAST END
Queen East
983 Queen Street E. Toronto
M4M 1K2
Wagstaff Tasting Bar
50 Wagstaff Drive, Toronto
M4L 3W9
WEST END
Ossington
117 Ossington Avenue, Toronto
M6J 2Z2
Richmond
439 Richmond Street W. Toronto
M5V 1X9
Related: Cafes in Oakville, Cafes in Waterloo
Get directions to our downtown Oakville Cafe on google maps. To order ahead, download our mobile app on iOS or android.
Downtown Oakville
251 Lakeshore Road E. Oakville
L6J 1H9
Related: Cafes in Toronto, Cafes in Waterloo
Get directions to our Uptown Waterloo Cafe on google maps. To order ahead, download our mobile app on iOS or android.
Uptown Waterloo
251 Lakeshore Road E. Oakville
L6J 1H9
Related: Cafes in Toronto, Cafes in Oakville
Wholesale
Specialty Coffee Supply
Quality and consistency are the foundation of a successful coffee program. That’s why we source exceptional specialty grade coffees through long term Direct Trade partnerships. We offer consistent and approachable signature blends as well as a variety of single origins, all roasted to showcase their best natural qualities.
Cafe Consultation
If you are opening a new cafe or growing your existing coffee shop, our team is here to share our experience. From bench layout to a robust retail shelf and marketing materials, we provide comprehensive advice to make your venture a success.
Training
Delivering great coffee consistently requires an engaged and knowledgable team. We work closely with your baristas by providing training sessions and educational resources to produce the best tasting cup everytime.
Equipment + Tech Support
We procure industry leading machines to ensure our partners have the best performing equipment on their bench. Our Technicians will make sure your equipment is in top working order and step in when you need an emergency repair.
Are you a cafe or business looking to carry Pilot Coffee? Reach out to us by filling out the wholesale contact form here: pilotcoffeeroasters.com/wholesale.
We know the importance of staying fuelled at work and great coffee can make all the difference.
Do you want to impress employees and clients? A serious coffee program will do just that, because quality matters.
Reach out to our team to set up a coffee program that will keep your team going:
- Brewed Coffee program
- Eversys Espresso program
- Equipment Maintenance + Repair
Learn more at pilotcoffeeroasters.com/wholesale
or reach out to us at sales@pilotcoffeeroasters.com
A great dining experience deserves great coffee. A strong restaurant coffee program is built on quality and consistency. Whether delivering a great drip coffee service or building a dependable espresso program we have the tools to support your success.
- Small or Large Brew Program
- Eversys Espresso Program
- Equipment Maintenance + Repair
To carry Pilot Coffee in your restaurant, reach out to us by filling out the contact form found here: pilotcoffeeroasters.com/wholesale.