Canada's largest coffee chain plans to undergo an upscale makeover that'll encourage customers to get out of the drive-thru line and into brand new armchairs.

Tim Hortons has decided to give some of its stores a chic facelift that the company hopes will persuade java lovers to come inside and stay awhile — and maybe even purchase an extra double-double.

Select stores will be spruced up with soft lights, wireless internet and bench seating.

The company also wants to go the open concept route with its kitchens. A new floor layout will give customers the "ambience" of watching their food being prepared.

While the redesign breaks away from Tim Hortons' tried-and-true model of a simple coffee shop, this isn't the chain's first foray into fancier territory.

More than a week ago, Tim Hortons said it would be expanding its menu to include fresh lattes, cappuccinos and espresso shots. Prior to that announcement, the specialty coffee market was cornered by retailers such as Starbucks and Second Cup.

"While specialty coffee represents a relatively small part of the overall coffee market, it is a growing segment," Tim Hortons CEO Paul House told The Canadian Press.

That growing segment is apparently a lucrative one as well.

Elaborate java and a cozy restaurant layout is expected to draw customers into the store and persuade them to spend a bit more money, explained House.

"A baked product is really, in some cases, an impulse buy so if you're looking and you like what you see you're more likely to buy it," he said.

It's a model that designer coffee goliath Starbucks has already perfected by allowing patrons to perch on plush lounge chairs and linger for several hours.

There is money to be made by giving customers a "third place" — outside of work and home — to simply rest and sip a coffee, journalist Taylor Clark explains in his book Starbucked.

While Tim Hortons isn't known for trendy loungers and elaborate décor, one research analyst said there's nothing wrong with the company trying to tinker with a successful business model.

"As one of the most popular coffee chains in the country, it's natural that they'd want to continue developing," Brian Yarbrough of Edward Jones said when the chain announced its specialty offerings last week.

Eight out of 10 cups of coffee sold in Canada every morning come from Tim Hortons, he said.

One glance at the company's earnings shows that success is apparent.

Tim Hortons earned $103.6 million or 65 cents per diluted share in the third quarter, up from $73.8 million or 42 cents in the same 2010 period.

Its total revenue was $726.9 million, up from $670.5 million.

With files from The Canadian Press