Restaurant Hostess Interview Questions

If you are looking for Restaurant Hostess Interview Questions, you have come to the right place. 

Skills required to be a hostess include communication, organization, and teamwork.

Here we will discuss frequently asked Hostess Interview Questions and Answers.

Restaurant Hostess Interview Questions and Answers

1. Can you tell us about your previous work history?

• If you have restaurant experience, talk about it. Most job descriptions will say, “6 months experience in a full-service restaurant preferred”.
• Mention any customer service experience in or outside of the restaurant industry.
• If you don’t have any experience state that you have been focusing on school, and now you are anxious to prove yourself in the workforce.

2. Why do you want to be a hostess?

• State that you enjoy meeting and interacting with other people. You can also state that you are an active person and a job where you sit around all day isn’t for you.
• Mention that you feel you have strong organizational skills which will help you to excel as a hostess.
• Say that you enjoy the challenge of working under pressure and in a fast-paced environment.

3. What hours can you work?

• The more flexible you are with your hours, the better your chance of getting hired, so be flexible!
• Let the interviewer know if you can work on weekends and holidays.

4. Why should I hire you?

For this question, you need to revisit the job description, find the skills they are looking for, and restate those skills. Below is a sample description:

• Must be upbeat, outgoing, and positive (skill: looking for someone who can motivate themselves and possibly others)
• Ability to work positively in a fast-paced environment (skill: work under pressure)
• Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills (skill: communication)
• Ability to work effectively within a team (skill: teamwork)

Keeping this in mind, when asked why should I hire you, you should state the following:

• Say that you work well under pressure and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Mention that you have great communication skills, which will allow you to work effectively as part of a team.
• Finally, state that you are an upbeat person, who excels at motivating yourself and others.

Customer Service Interview Questions

5. How do you handle upset customers waiting for a table?

• As a host, you will often be dealing with customers who have been waiting for a table for a long time. If they become upset apologize to the customer for having to wait so long and give them a new estimate on how much longer the wait will be.
• Please mention that you could also offer the customer a menu to speed up the process for their order.
• If the customer is still upset say you would escalate the issue to your manager and see if there was anything else they could do. Finally, state it is important to keep a customer happy, as an unhappy customer will never return.

6. How have you gone above and beyond for a customer?

• Make a list of jobs you have done in the past, and try to think of how you went above and beyond for a customer. For example, suppose you worked at a restaurant and they did not have a particular item on the menu, so you went to the restaurant next door and got that item for them.

7. Why do you believe customer service is so important?

Great customer service can

• Increase customer loyalty.
• Grow the amount of money each customer spends per visit.
• Increase how often a customer buys from you.
• Generate positive word-of-mouth about your business.

8. How do you ensure that customers have a positive experience at our establishment?

• From a host/hostess perspective, a warm and friendly greeting is key. If a table is available, staff should promptly seat customers to minimize wait times. When customers leave the restaurant they should receive the same warm and friendly greeting they received when entering the restaurant.

Behavioral Interview Questions

9. Name a situation at work that you wish you handled differently.

• Try to think of a situation that does not show a personal weakness. For example, suppose you spent time during your lunch hour with your colleagues. One of the colleges was very negative and as a result, made others negative which resulted in many of those colleges changing jobs. State you felt you should have tried to spin the situation around and bring up positive aspects of the job.

10. Can you tell us about a time when you handled stress in a high-pressure environment?

• Talk about the stressful situation that you faced, state how you prioritized your tasks, and discuss a positive outcome that you achieved. Also, mention you are not afraid to ask for help.

11. How would you handle a situation where there are no tables available for customers?

• State that you would apologize that there are no tables available but suggest to the customer they can find a seat at the bar. Also, mention you will keep an eye out for a last-minute cancellation and will notify the customer if a table becomes available.

12. How would handle a situation where the reservation system went down?

• Mention you would approach customers, explain to them the reservation system was down, ask what time their reservation is, and do your best to find them a table.

13. How do you ensure that tables are properly set and cleaned before and after customer use?

• State it all comes down to good communication with the table busser and the servers. If either the busser or sever says the table is ready you mark it as available.

Additional Restaurant Hostess Interview Questions

14. What do you think are the most important qualities of a successful host or hostess?

• To be a successful host or hostess one must be welcoming, organized, flexible, and work well under pressure. For example, suppose it is rush hour and a customer walks in the door and requests a table for a large family. The host/hostess must greet the customers and find two tables that are free or going to be free. Then, they must push them together while managing more customers coming in through the door.

15. How do you communicate and cooperate with the servers and other staff members?

• Management assigns servers to sections of a restaurant. A good hostess balances the workload amongst sections and servers. State you would continue to check with servers to ensure their workload is manageable. Also, say you would give servers advanced notice of any large parties set to arrive.

16. How do you ensure fair and efficient seating of guests?

• State you would honor the reservation list followed by walk-ins. Walk-ins follow a first-come-first-served process.

17. Do you have experience working long shifts?

• You will work long shifts at the restaurant. Tell the interviewer that this is not a problem for you and that you always wear comfortable yet stylish footwear.

18. Do you mind working irregular hours and on holidays?

• We all know this is not a Monday-to-Friday job, so let the interviewer know that you have no problem working the hours assigned to you.

19. What languages do you speak?

• Speaking a second language is a huge benefit as most airlines travel internationally. 

Additional Interview Questions Continued

20. How do you feel about taking orders over the phone?

• Customers often call in with their orders for pickup so you may have to take orders over the phone and process payments.

21. How do you maintain a positive attitude and handle stress while working?

• Prioritize
• Don’t let one bad experience with a customer ruin your whole day.
• Surround yourself with positive people outside of work
• Share hobbies or activities that help you relax and recharge.

22. What is your favorite item on the menu?

• Have a look at the menu and pick out your favorite food. Knowing the menu and being a customer shows you want to work here.

23. What are your strengths as a hostess?

• Show off your people skills: You want guests to feel at ease and happy when they visit. That’s why you need to demonstrate your people skills, such as great communication, empathy, and patience.
• Showcase your organizational skills: A hostess needs to be very organized to keep everything under control. Demonstrate your skill to juggle multiple tasks at once, prioritize efficiently, and deal with unforeseen circumstances with ease.
• Highlight your attention to detail: Details matter a lot for creating a guest experience that lasts in memory.
• Mention your ability to work under pressure: The restaurant industry can be fast-paced and stressful, especially during peak times. Discuss how you thrive in high-pressure situations and can stay calm and focused while ensuring guests receive excellent service.

24. How would you handle a situation where someone tries to bribe you to skip the line in the restaurant queue?

• Say that you respect fairness and equality and think that all customers deserve the same treatment. Skipping the queue for money would be unjust to other customers who have been waiting calmly.

25. What techniques do you apply to maintain a positive attitude when working as a restaurant hostess?

• Discuss stress management techniques: Handling stress is a crucial part of any customer service role, including that of a restaurant hostess. You can talk about various stress management techniques you use to maintain your composure, such as taking deep breaths, going for a quick walk, or talking to a colleague or manager.

Hostess Interview Questions with no Experience

26. Do you have any restaurant experience?

• If you don’t have restaurant experience that is ok as restaurants hire plenty of people with little experience. However, let the interviewer know if you have customer service experience as it relates to the position of host/hostess.

27. What made you interested in the hostess position?

• You are passionate about food and the restaurant business and figured working as a hostess is a good start.
• Mention you feel you have strong communication skills which will allow you to work well with customers and other team members.

28. How will you balance working at a restaurant and your education?

• State you are a hard worker with a good GPA. Moreover, you consider working at a restaurant part of your education because you want real-life experience.

29. If hired how long do you expect to stay?

• Make sure the interviewer knows you intend to stay at the job for more than a few months.

30. Do you have any interest in growing your career in the restaurant industry?

• Restaurant managers will want to hire people who are passionate about cooking, or working in the restaurant industry: the reason for this is they don’t want to hire “job-hoppers”.

31. If you could be one animal what would it be?

Possible Answers are

• Dogs show loyalty.
• Ants are hard workers and team players.
• Dolphins are smart.
• Elephants are strong.
• Gorilla is gentle but powerful, a good parent, and a good leader.

32. How do you handle criticism?

• State you try not to take criticism personally, and that you view criticism as a learning opportunity.

Questions to ask at the End of the interview

33. Do you have any questions for us?

Tip! Don’t be afraid to ask questions during the interview. Asking questions is important because it builds rapport between you and the interviewer.

• What do you like best about working here?
• How do you describe your ideal candidate for this position?
• What about this position is the most important?
• How do you measure my success, and what could I do to meet your expectations?
• Which part of the position has the steepest learning curve? What can I do to get up to speed quickly?
• What opportunities will I have to learn and grow?

How should I prepare for a hostess interview?

• Research the restaurant by going as a customer. Take note of what the host/hostess is wearing. Dress formal if that is how the host or hostess dresses.
• Review the restaurant’s website and become familiar with its menu.
• Review positive customer reviews online. Taking note of the positive reviews will help you sound enthusiastic when answering questions, but will also help you determine if you want to work there.
• Revisit the job description, find what skills they are looking for, and match them to your own (see the question directly below).
• Practice interview questions out loud, but remember to have good body posture and eye contact.
• Print out 2 copies of your resume, bring a pen, and prepare any questions you want to ask at the end of the interview.
• Pick out what you are going to wear the night before the interview.

What skills do you need to be a hostess?

To prepare for the interview you need to match the skills below to your personal skill set. Doing this will help you to answer questions the interviewer may ask.

• Motivation
• Work Under Pressure (work in a fast-paced environment)
• Communication Skills (for other team members and customers)
• Teamwork
• Organization (seating arrangement)
• Math (ability to make change for customers)
• Customer Service
• Decision Making

Hostess Interview Outfit

• Dress formally if you are interviewing for a hostess position.  Blazers and dark trousers are a safe choice, as well as wrap dresses for females. Avoid sportswear clothes. 
• Remember a host is the first point of contact for business, so you need to make a good first impression.
• Hide any tattoos and excessive piercings.

What to bring to a hostess interview

• A copy of your resume
• References
• A notebook and a pen for taking notes
• Extra copies of your resume
• Clothes that match the restaurant’s dress code
• A positive attitude with a smile

See Also

• Olive Garden Hostess Interview Questions