There are 1000's and 1000's of hotels offering nightly free food and/or booze in this world. Almost all booze is the chheap stuff and most nibblies are highly salted or overly greasy. The better stuff is offered in the hotels executive or concierge lounges or levels. Either book the executive level rate (typically 40-60% higher than the cheapest rate) or be a member of the hotels Gold, Diamond, Platinium card anf pray for an upgrade invite to them.

MisterNice

Some Hampton Inns do - but only some of the hotels.

All hamptons include something called Breakfast. What it consists of is a mystery to me - although I don't mind their 'breakfast on the run' bags which you can grab at the front counter when leaving.

Unfortunately, he'll be disappointed at almost any of the extended-stay chains. None of them are rolling out gourmet vittles, if you know what I mean... Think build-your-own-tacos, little smokies, nacho dip, etc.

One chain that nobody's mentioned that seems to do a bit more is Kimpton. I've stayed at 3-4 of their hotels, and I noticed lobby receptions in at least a couple of them. Evening receptions open to all guests, that is. I dropped in on one at the Monaco in Seattle a few months ago - decent nibbles (that is, what you'd expect at a catered event at a nice hotel) and several drinkable wine choices, plus Heineken and a couple of other beers.

I don't know if they do it every night or at every hotel. But it seems to be more common there - especially because some (all?) of them do not have concierge levels.

He's not on his own dime, but he's cheap, and would do the manager's receptions to avoid paying for dinner.
He's fine with that--he was in the Marine Corps, so he's used to eating MRE's. Anything is better than that!

I read once that the joke in the military is that "MRE" (meal ready to eat) is three separate lies.

That could be true. I've also heard them referred to in a potentially offensive way.

Honestly, none of them provide something that would actually be a good replacement for dinner. Occasionally, I'll be in a mainline Marriott or Hilton that happens to have a really great C-lounge where they stock enough hot food (and stock it late enough into the evening) where you could have something approaching a dinner.

But then I'll stay at other Marriotts/Hiltons that stock cheese & crackers and 5:30PM and when the stuff runs out an hour later, that's it... It depends on the property.

But really: if he's not on his own dime - just trying to stick within a somewhat tight per diem, for example - maybe he should check out something like Chowhound to find good dinner recommendations that won't break the bank?

Agree, I went to one at the ES in San Diego, the beer - served in a plastic beaker - was rubbish, weak and warm.

A plastic beaker?!? He'll probably avoid the beer.
Chowhound? He's just being cheap, so it might work. Seriously though, if it's edible, he'll eat enough to make it a meal.

Hear, hear!

If he's not on his own dime & his employer isn't asking him to try to go the reception route to save a few $$, then why is he doing it? Him being cheap doesn't make sense w/ that scenario.

Does he get a per diem where if he doesn't spend it, then he'd get to keep it? That I guess I'd understand.

But if not, then pick a hotel based on his needs, not just whether it offers up a someone so-so reception.

If he wants to save some $$ he can always eat at places like Chili's, Denny's, Olive Garden, etc.

YVMV. Cheers.

And if he wants better tasting food than the offerings of these fine establishments, he could always buy some surplus military MREs.

Staybridge Suites offers "food" three nights a week. Tonight is Mac & Cheese with mini corn dogs. Some nights are good, some I pass. The Sloppy Joes last Thrusday I looked and went across the street to Green Mill.

He gets per diem, and if he doesn't spend it, he keeps it, so that's why he'd rather be cheap, and eat at hotel receptions most nights.
That's what he's figuring he'll do--eat at the hotel on nights where the food sounds good, when it's not something he'd like, he'll go out.

I know this is really specific, but the Residence Inn in downtown San Diego offered a decent free reception. They set up a BBQ by their pool, and were grilling hamburgers and hotdogs, as well as offering a couple different types of salads etc, while i was there ^