When the Northeast experienced exceedingly nasty winter weather earlier this year, do you know what people didn’t do? They didn’t venture out of their houses for hot coffee, apparently. Dunkin’ Donuts announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2014, and they blame the crappy weather for profits that are $800,000 lower than last quarter.

Keeping that in mind, it’s exciting news that the chain’s first standalone shop in California will open sometime before the end of this calendar year, and not sometime in 2015, as they originally announced more than a year ago. (They already have stores in a hotel in San Diego and one serving the military at Camp Pendleton, if you can’t wait.)

You know what would really help sales when hot weather hits, Dunkin’ Donuts? Doughnut ice cream sundaes. Maybe consider it.

Dunkin’ says harsh winter cut hole in earnings [MarketWatch]

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