A Popular Fast Food Burger Chain Is Launching A New Milkshake Inspired By The Viral Dubai Chocolate Bar

If you're a restaurant chain, being able to capitalize on trends while staying true to your brand aesthetic is a valuable skill to have. Shake Shack has proven itself to be an adept player in the international fast food market thanks to its savvy and adaptability, and its upcoming dessert special is just another testament to its understanding of the market and its place in it. Starting Monday, April 7, Shake Shack will be introducing the Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Shake as a limited-time item.

This milkshake is based on the viral Dubai chocolate bar that caught the world's attention in 2024 due to its gorgeous textures and flavors. The shake is made of a base of frozen pistachio custard mixed with toasted kataifi and contained in a hard chocolate shell, which is then topped with chopped pistachios and more kataifi. For those unfamiliar, kataifi is a Middle Eastern dessert staple that's related to baklava. The difference between kataifi and baklava is that kataifi is made from spun strands of dough formed into a sort of bird's nest, as compared to the thin sheets of phyllo used in baklava. The hard chocolate shell is meant to evoke the crunch of the now-famous chocolate bar.

This delicious drink will be available in 30 locations throughout New York City, California, and Florida, and starts at $7.99. The shake was launched in Dubai in February and expanded throughout the Middle East in the weeks since. Now, after having seen success there, Shake Shack is bringing the treat stateside.

The Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Shake is a texture miracle; the smooth custard, hard chocolate, and crunchy kataifi and pistachios combine to form a swirling mixture with a little bit of everything in each bite. A simple squeeze of the cup helps to break up the magic shell and incorporate the chocolate into the rest of the drink, so make sure you don't miss out on that crucial step.

This offering is just the latest in the company's bold swings on the milkshake menu that make them one of fast food's best choices for an unforgettable milkshake. Locations currently offer limited-time items like the Thai Iced Tea Shake, the Cherry Blossom Shake, and the Brownie Batter Hot Cocoa Shake, and have previously tried popular items like the Oreo Cookie Funnel Cake as well as seasonal holiday drinks such as the Chocolate Yule Log Shake and the Apple Cider Donut Shake. 

This is in keeping with Shake Shack's approach to constantly experimenting with limited-time items such as 2024's summer barbecue menu, a follow-up to the successful 2021 launch of the limited-run Korean-inspired menu that featured Korean fried chicken and gochujang fries. The company also forayed into combo meals in March 2025. Truly, at Shake Shack, innovation never sleeps.