It will be the melding of an American fast-food giant with a Canadian brand that has become part of our cultural landscape.

Talks are underway between Tim Hortons and Burger King. The two companies are preparing to merge to form a new entity that would be based in Canada for tax purposes. But the American owner of Burger King would become the majority shareholder of the new publicly-traded corporation.

The two companies would continue to operate as separate entities. But, with 18,000 outlets in 100 countries, they would become the world’s third largest fast food empire, behind Subway and McDonalds.

Sources familiar wtih the talks say the merger could happen soon.