IHOP Releases Mini Pancake Cereals

IHOP restaurants have evolved to serve a lot more than just breakfast. But we all know it does the first meal of the day best, which is why it’s no surprise the brand is doubling down on its early morning dominance with its new pancake-inspired breakfast cereal. And it’s all thanks to a few viral videos from 2020.

Nearly three years ago, social media was flooded with videos showing miniature homemade pancakes served in bowls cereal-style.

Turning the trend into something commercially available at your local grocery store can’t be whipped up as quickly as a TikTok video, but IHOP says its new cereal was indeed inspired by those viral mini-pancakes and came to fruition thanks to a collaboration years in the making with another breakfast giant, General Mills.

“After the viral moment in 2020, we knew guests had an appetite for an IHOP cereal,” Kieran Donahue, the chain’s chief marketing officer, shares in a statement. “We helped create this iconic cereal in hopes that our guests would look forward to it any time of day.”

The resulting IHOP Blueberry & Syrup Mini Pancake Cereal is described as offering “lots of itty, bitty pancake-shaped pieces” with “crunchy, blueberry pancake flavor. So, no, this cereal isn’t as fluffy as it would be if you made the viral mini-pancakes at home, but as IHOP shares, it hopes the quirky breakfast helps people share “special moments with family and friends by sitting down for a tasty bowl of mini pancake cereal.” It also notes the cereal is excellent for easy- to-pack snacks and make a stellar ice cream topping.

“We are delighted to collaborate with IHOP and introduce the IHOP Mini Pancake Cereal to bring fun and flavor to fans across the country,” Brianna Menning, the senior brand manager of cereal innovation at General Mills, added.

The limited-edition new cereal is expected to arrive in select retailers later this month before being available nationwide by January.