IHOP’s Jumping On Dessert’s Hottest Viral Trend (Again)

How are we all feeling about viral food trends, folks? Are you still into them? Can’t get enough of them? Absolutely sick of them? Well, no matter where you fall on the spectrum of emotion towards endlessly shareable foods, they’re going absolutely nowhere – and this year, we’ve seen a veritable buffet of them. Hot honey, dot cakes, and pistachio everything have ruled the roost. 

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And that last one’s not done yet. IHOP has just announced that it’s bringing back one of its most talked-about limited-time menu items in recent memory, and it sits squarely in viral-land. Let’s go. 

It’s…

The Dubai Chocolate Pancake! Oh, yes: The world isn’t done with the Dubai chocolate trend, and IHOP isn’t either. The pancake chain is remounting its Dubai Chocolate Pancake for another year, according to its press release on the matter. Its original Dubai Chocolate Pancake was released back in August 2025 (which speaks to how long the Dubai chocolate thing has been going on), after it was created at a franchised location in Totowa, New Jersey. It was subsequently sold in three locations (where it sold out in three days), but never made the step to nationwide availability. 

Until now. IHOP’s Dubai Chocolate Pancake will be rolled out at locations across the country, where it’ll be sold as a combo. Each meal will have two buttermilk chocolate chip pancakes with hazelnut and cocoa spread, pistachio-flavored mousse, crunchy kataifi, and crushed pistachios, with some whipped topping to finish it off. You can grab it with two pieces of bacon or pork sausage links, two eggs, and hash browns. To be honest, while it sounds wild to say it, this is one of the more authentic recreations of Dubai chocolate’s typical flavor and texture profile – apart from the meat and eggs, obviously.

And A Milkshake On The Side?

Along with the Dubai Chocolate Pancake, IHOP is also releasing a Dubai Chocolate Milkshake. It just can’t get enough! This milkshake is made with hand-scooped premium vanilla ice cream, blended with pistachio and chocolate syrups, and topped with whipped topping and chopped pistachios. I’d recommend not ordering both at the same time. You can have too much of a good thing. 

IHOP’s new (well, partly returning) Dubai Chocolate menu items will be available from Monday, June 29. We’d hazard a guess they won’t be around for too long, so get your fill while you can. Don’t worry, though: Another restaurant will release its own Dubai chocolate item soon enough. This thing’s not going away.