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Restaurant Interview Questions

Interviews

Restaurant Interview Questions
Restaurant Interview Questions

Here you will find Restaurant Interview Questions.

There are common interview questions you must know regardless if you are interviewing for a server, cook, or hostess position.  

Also, it is no secret that restaurants are busy workplaces, so make sure you appear energetic.

Finally, communication is key so do not speak too fast as you will sound nervous.  Below are frequently asked Restaurant Interview Questions and Answers.

Key Questions

  1. Tell us about your previous experience?
  2. Why do you want to work at our restaurant?
  3. How would you deal with an upset customer?
  4. What hours are you going to work?
  5. How would you define excellent customer service?
  6. How do you feel about working under pressure?
  7. If you could be one animal, what would it be?
  8. What can you tell us about this restaurant?
  9. What is your greatest strength?
  10. What is your greatest weakness?
  11. Where do you see yourself in five years?
  12. Why should I hire you?
  13. Would you rather work as a team or as an individual?
  14. Who is the most important employee in a restaurant?
  15. Do you have any questions for us?

Restaurant Interview Questions and Answers

1. Tell us about your previous work experience?

Restaurants will want related work experiences such as customer service, food preparation, managing inventory, and soft skills such as communication, the ability to work under pressure, and teamwork.  

Example

In my last job, I worked in fast food restaurant where I took customers’ orders, prepared food, and managed inventory.   In my previous position, I gained valuable work experience in customer service, food preparation, working under pressure, and how to work successfully in a team.

If this is your first job not to worry. Just tell them you have been focusing on school and now you are anxious to prove yourself in the workforce. Restaurants hire lots of first-time workers.  Bring skills that you have acquired in high school or college such as communication, the ability to work under pressure, and teamwork.

Example

I am currently in college and am in the second year of my degree.  During my time in college, I have developed many skills that will help me thrive in the restaurant business.  These skills include communication, the ability to work under pressure, and teamwork. I have developed my communication skills by doing presentations. I have demonstrated teamwork by working on group projects with other classmates.  Finally, I have shown my ability to work under pressure by carrying a full course load and completing my final exams.

2. Why do you want to work at our restaurant?

  • State why you love the restaurant’s food, its impeccable service, why it’s better than its competitors, and if possible, mention its commitment to the environment.    
  • Discuss potential opportunities for growth (restaurant chains provide lots of opportunities for growth)
  • Say you enjoy the challenge of working under pressure and working in a fast-paced environment.
Example

I want to work at your restaurant because of the excellent food, and service I receive on a consistent basis.  I feel this restaurant is better than its competitors (be specific). I am also impressed with the company’s commitment to the environment (again be specific).  I can see how busy the restaurant becomes and I only see potential growth opportunities.  Finally, I enjoy the challenge of working under pressure and in a fast-paced environment.

3. How would you deal with an upset customer?

  • Listen and let the customer vent.
  • Show the customer you care.
  • Don’t blame the customer or the company.
  • Try to solve the problem or find someone who can.
  • Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
  • Finally, one must not take it personally.  If you get upset, you will take it out on future customers.
Example

First, I would listen and find out why the customer is unhappy.  Suppose the customer was unsatisfied with the food, if so, I would apologize and offer to replace it. If there was a problem I could not solve, I would ask the restaurant manager what I should do next.  Finally, I believe you should not take the customer’s complaint personally. It is important not to get upset as you don’t want to impact service on future customers.

4. 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.
Example

My hours are flexible and I understand the need to work holidays and weekends. If hired I would make sure I arrive at the restaurant 15 minutes early as I understand the importance of starting my shift on time.

5. How would you define excellent customer service?

  • If the customer service is poor customers will not come back therefore excellent customer service is critical in the restaurant industry.  
Example

Excellent customer service begins as soon as the customer walks in the door.  When customers arrive, they need to be greeted in a warm friendly manner.  The customer is not waiting long for their food and it is made to order.  The food is always fresh and tastes excellent. If possible, the staff goes above and beyond for the customer.  For example, bringing the food to a table for an elderly individual or couple at a fast-food restaurant, or asking children if they would like a tour of the kitchen to give the parents a break.  I do realize one cannot always go above and beyond for a customer but I do believe it will lead to positive reviews and repeat business.

6. How do you feel about working under pressure?

  • Most restaurants get extremely busy during rush hour so mention you are up to the challenge of working under pressure. However, tell the interviewer you are not afraid to ask for help when you need it.
Example

I believe if you allow pressure to get you, you will make mistakes.  The secret is to prioritize and stay calm. When under pressure, I always stand back take a deep breath and prioritize my tasks.   I believe teamwork is critical at a restaurant so I am not afraid to ask for help if available.

7. 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.

Example

If I could be one animal to work at a restaurant it would be an ant.  A successful restaurant needs to have a hardworking staff that works well together. Ants are incredibly hardworking and are only successful because they work well in a team.

8. What can you tell us about this restaurant?

  • Be sure to do your research on the web about the company. Be sure to learn about their menu and know their product. Find out if they play an important role in the community by sponsoring charities.

9. What is your greatest strength?

You need many skills to work at a restaurant but several that stand out are communication skills, teamwork, multitasking, attention to detail, and the ability to work under pressure.

You can’t go wrong by stating one of these skills as your greatest strength, but try to follow up with an example from your previous work experience on how you used that strength.  

Example

My greatest strength is my attention to detail.  In my previous job, I was a food runner where I would deliver food orders from the kitchen to the customers’ tables quickly and accurately.  I would also communicate food orders to chefs, paying attention to detail by making sure the order was filled correctly.  I received a lot of praise from servers that they rarely saw mistakes in their food orders due to my attention to detail.

10. What is your greatest weakness?

Don’t Say

  • You don’t have a weakness
  • You can’t think of a weakness
  • Something unrelated to the job
  • Do not state a weakness that is critical for the job

Do Say

  • Something related to the job
  • Steps to improve your weakness
Example

My greatest weakness is I take criticism too personally. I have learned to resist overreacting and to reflect on what someone said. I have found that I have become a better employee when I learn from feedback.

11. Where do you see yourself in five years?

The interviewer is asking this question to find out what your career goals are for this position.  They want to know that the position will satisfy you and that you will work hard and stay within the restaurant for a long time.   

Example

In five years, I would like to become a chef.  I am currently enrolled in a culinary school and I would like to find a position that would complement my studies. If offered this position, I feel by working hard I could get a lot of real-world experience that would help me become a better chef.

Many restaurants understand you won’t want to work there for the rest of your career (especially in fast food) but give the impression you are willing to work at the restaurant for a good period of time.

Example

In five years, I would like to complete my business administration degree.  I would like to find a job that would help me pay for university.  By working at this restaurant, I feel I can learn a lot about business that would complement my studies.  If offered this position I am willing to work hard for the duration of my school.  If possible, I would be very interested in helping out with bookkeeping, managing inventory, or other administrative tasks.     

12. Why should I hire you?

  • Have a look at the job description and find the key skills and experience they are looking for and then reassure the interviewer that you have the key skills and experience to do the job.
  • Suppose you are interviewing for a server position.  Servers are required to have great communication skills as they need to provide excellent customer service when greeting and taking orders from customers. Servers need to be quick learners as they need to know the menu and use the point-of-sale system.  They also need the ability to work well under pressure as restaurants get very busy during peak periods.
Example

I feel you should hire me due to my skill set and past work experience.  In my last job I worked at a fast-food restaurant where I greeted customers, took food orders, and prepared meals. During this time, I gained valuable work experience communicating with customers, demonstrated my ability to work under pressure as I thrived during rush hour, and showed my ability as a quick learner by quickly learning the point-of-sale system and the menu.  

13. Would you rather work as a team or as an individual?

Restaurants require a great deal of teamwork therefore you are better off stating you would rather work as a team player.

Example

If I had to choose one, I would rather work in a team than work as an individual. I get satisfaction by helping others and I feel I can learn other roles and responsibilities when working closely in a team.

14. Who is the most important employee in a restaurant?

It is easy to think your role is the most important position in a restaurant.  If you are a server the customer does not get his or her food.  If you are applying for a cook the food just does not get made.  But the fact is the restaurant manager is the most important position in the restaurant. 

Example

I believe the most important role is the restaurant manager.  A good restaurant manager will hire great staff, oversee operations, handle customer complaints, and generate financial reports.  

15. Do you have any questions for us?

Most restaurant interview questions will ask if you have any questions for us.  Below are some questions I recommend:

  • 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 do I prepare for a restaurant interview?

  • Learn as much as you can about the restaurant and ask yourself why you want to work there.  Why would you rather work here than in any other restaurant? Try to look at positive customer reviews as to why this restaurant stands out among others.
  • Review potential interview questions and think about how you will answer them from your personal experience.  For example, can you tell us about a time you resolved a customer complaint? Tell us about a time you felt overwhelmed in your last job and how you coped.
  • Think about where you see yourself in the future.  The interviewer will prefer to hire people whose career goals align with the restaurant industry.  Perhaps you want to get into restaurant management.  Note it is ok if you are looking for work to pay for your education but make sure you demonstrate that you are committed to working there for more than a few months.
  • Know where you are going and how long it takes to get there. Go online and work out the easiest route, then be sure to add on extra time so you are on time. The last thing you want is to arrive late.

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