A popular fried-chicken chain is donating all of its net proceeds from sales of a special meal on Wednesday to benefit a cancer charity established in memory of a young hockey fan – on the day he would’ve turned 10 years old. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen is marking Ben’s Day on Wednesday for the second year in a row – amid a month-long campaign of raising $50,000 in donations – in memory of Ben Stelter, a beloved Edmonton Oilers superfan who died from glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer, in 2022. Central to its Ben’s Day campaign in May, Popeyes is featuring the official Ben’s Meal, which is the exact order Ben would get every time he ate at the restaurant, as well as a limited-edition collector’s cup. Mike Stelter, Ben’s father, said Ben and his family enjoyed eating together at Popeyes. “Popeyes was a special place for our family to celebrate birthdays, and when Ben would be in the hospital for (a long time), when he’d get released, we’d want to wait to celebrate, and he’d always pick a meal that we would have, and he would always pick Popeyes that we would get on the way home to celebrate,” Stelter told CTV News Edmonton on Wednesday at the restaurant’s downtown location on 109 Street. The net proceeds from the meal on Wednesday sold at all 21 of Popeyes’ northern Alberta locations will be given to the Ben Shelter Foundation, a non-profit charity that raises money for cancer research and equipment, and for fulfilling wishes of young cancer patients. The month-long campaign has seen Popeyes donate $1 from each Ben’s Meal sold in northern Alberta to the charity. Ben’s Meal includes three chicken tenders, sides of cajun fries and mac-and-cheese, and a Coca-Cola in the collectors’ cup. The cup can be purchased separately. Brian Trier, vice-president of Popeyes Canada, said the Ben’s Day effort is an “intersection” of a brand that has “a great product ... and great franchisees and partners” with the Stelters’ “special moment.” “That’s the beauty of this, it really does come together, does bring people together,” Trier said Wednesday at the downtown restaurant. “That’s why we’re really proud of our franchisees who are here supporting the community.” With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Brandon Lynch
