It’s usually a positive experience to outdo yourself, to surpass expectations.  And in today’s U.S. economy, that might be really a tall order.

But what if that order included a scrumptious donut and tasty ice cream? 

Dunkin’s Brands sweetened its same-stores sales domestically and internationally to increase its earnings 7.6 percent and raise expectations for profits in the coming year.  Not bad considering an environment affected by a still anemic economy, skittish consumers and sluggish real-estate development stateside.

Right here at home, same-store sales increased 4 percent among Dunkin’ Donut stores and 4.6 percent at its Baskin-Robbins locations.  Looking outside the United States, Dunkin’ expected its ice cream stores to lead the way in growth, but its donut shops pulled ahead in same-store sales by 3.5 percent, even outperforming analysts’ forecast of 2.56 percent.

Dunkin’ Brands went public in 2011, which Nigel Travis, chief executive officer, Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc., said in a statement that, “our focus on store-level economics, best-in-class product and marketing innovation, and operational execution drove comparable store sales increases across all business segments. ”

Sounds like a path sprinkled with opportunity; see what the Wall Street Journal had to say.