Some city, state, provincial, and federal agencies allow meetings to be held in their buildings. Sometimes this is possible only if one of the members of the chapter also works for that agency. You can try schools or public libraries, usually there is no meal service in these facilities. You could bring your own or just have snacks. It is most important to have the time and place most convenient for most of the members.
Some chapters have a social or an informal meeting once each year.
The fee is used to cover expenses, either for the room and refreshments or for speaker gifts and advertising costs. The fee can also be an incentive to join the chapter, since members usually are charged less than non-members. Some chapters schedule monthly meetings. Some chapters opt for quarterly meetings. This requires more notification for the membership, but can reduce strain on the organizers.