When a St. John's-area woman was handed a bag at a Tim Hortons drive-thru on Wednesday, she thought it contained a grilled chicken wrap.

It most certainly did not.

It was "filled to the brim with the Roll up the Rim [to Win] prize tabs," said Pam Murphy, of Paradise, N.L.

"I was like, 'Well, somebody gave me the wrong bag.'"

Murphy said the tabs — torn from coffee cups as part of the chain's annual contest — all appeared to be winners, but didn't contain any big prizes.

Still, she estimated there were "probably thousands of dollars' worth" of food and beverage prizes.

Murphy says she was shocked to find the winning prize tabs, and quickly alerted the store. (Pam Murphy/Facebook)

While some coffee and doughnut lovers might have been tempted to redeem the winning prizes, Murphy said that didn't cross her mind.

"I'm super honest though and I just wouldn't want anyone to get in any trouble at the location," she told CBC News Wednesday afternoon, noting if she made the mistake she would be "mortified."

"Obviously they are probably going to have to have a chat with staff and stuff because they don't want things like this happening."

She called the store upon realizing what had happened.

Murphy said she spoke to a manager and was told she'd get a $25 gift card for returning them, as a thank you. She was given a $40 gift card when she dropped them off.

Returning the prize-winning tabs was the right thing to do, Murphy said, who got a $40 gift card as a thank you. (Pamela Murphy/Facebook)

'The right thing to do'

The general manager referred CBC News to the chain's corporate media relations department.​ That department didn't answer specific questions, sent via email, and instead in a statement said contest integrity is "paramount."

"We provide clear guidelines and work with our restaurant owners to ensure winning tabs are kept in a safe and secure location. This is an unfortunate and isolated incident and we appreciate the honesty of this Guest, who has already returned the tabs to the restaurant," the statement said.

It's another dubious moment in this year's contest. Earlier, a misprint on some of the Roll Up the Rim to Win cups sold in Atlantic Canada and Alberta resulted in a blank space where customers are supposed to find the message indicating whether they've won.

Murphy said she regularly visits the Paradise location, and will continue to do so. And while she said she was motivated to do the right thing for all the right reasons, she isn't opposed to her good deed sending a bit of luck her way.

"I still hope that maybe karma will come back to me," she said, laughing.