I voted scheduled, but like many others here, we do both. Clinton can free feed his measured amount of dry food, Innova EVO. But we schedule AM and PM wet food, either Natural Balance ocean fish or Solid Gold blended tuna.
Sophie gets canned food twice daily, once in the morning and again in the evening. She free feeds on her dry throughout the day.
Percy is fed morning and early evening, due to the other little critters out there who would gobble his food up if I left it out there. (birds, raccoons, possums, you name it)
actually, i do both. they have kibble available all the time, & get to share a can of wet every night. Pixel doesn't care for wet food, so it's mostly Cable & Java who eat that. occasionally Pixel will eat some, if it's a flavor she likes.
Well, they can basically eat whenever they want, as I have an "auto feeder" for dry food so they can eat whenever. Every once in a while, I give them a little canned cat food.
We're open also...but I'm currently cutting them back. I can't do the timed feeding with the cats because Patches will freak (really...if she sees the food bowls are missing she'll fall over on the floor, show her belly and keep meowing until they're back).
but long story short, we use bowls that hold about 2 cups. BF used to have me feeding them WELL over the top, 4 bowls & 3 cats. Since Luna is still young I'm trying to prevent her from getting fat and also somewhat cutting down the other two. So now I'm doing 3/4 -1 cup dry and 1/2 can of wet in each bowl. They aren't complaining!
I really just feed dry free-choice to the boys. Been there done that in my youth with cats wanting you up NOW! to feed them, and not wanting to go through that in my "old age"