Denny’s Interview Questions

Congratulations on getting a Denny’s Interview.

We all know interviews are stressful and competition is intense.

However, with a small amount of preparation, you can ace the Denny’s job interview.

Here, we will discuss how to answer frequently asked Denny’s Interview Questions.

Please note that this post is broken up into two sections

The first section is interview questions for Denny’s that will help in any position.

Then, we will discuss specific interview questions for servers, dishwashers and cooks.

Denny’s Interview Questions and Answers

Can you tell us about yourself?

• If you have restaurant or customer service experience, tell them. You want to emphasize related job experience more than anything else.

What can you tell us about Denny’s?

About Denny’s

• Denny’s is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Although Denny’s is known for its breakfasts, it offers a lunch, dinner, and dessert menu. In addition, it offers a $2, $4, $6, and $8 dollar menu, a “fit fare menu,” a kids menu, and a 55+ menu for seniors.
• The first Denny’s was called Danny’s Donuts.
• Denny’s is famous for their Grand Slam breakfast.  It was first introduced in Atlanta as a nod to HR slugger Hank Aaron.
• The headquarters are in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
• Denny’s now has over 1,600 restaurants worldwide.

Who are Denny’s Competitors?

• Its competitors are iHOP, Cracker Barrel, McDonald’s, and Perkins.

Why do you want to work for Denny’s?

• Mention that you like the product and get great value for your money.
• Denny’s is the largest corporate sponsor of the national charity Save the Children, and you would be proud to represent them.

Why did you leave your last job?

Interviewers ask this question for the following reasons.

• Did you leave for a good reason?
• Did you leave voluntarily?
• Did you leave on good terms?
• What are your work values?

Here is a sample response

“I enjoyed my last job at Company XYZ. However, I felt growth was minimal, and I was no longer learning. I want to explore new challenges”.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

• If you are going to college, tell them what you plan on doing after you finish.
• If you see yourself there for the long haul, mention you would like to get into a management position.

What is your greatest strength?

Suggested strengths that are required to work at Denny’s

• Work well under pressure.
• A quick learner.
• Teamwork.
• Communication skills

What is your greatest weakness?

• Do not deny you have a weakness or state a strength as a weakness. For example, do not say, “I am a perfectionist” or “I work too hard and neglect my friends and family.” State a fault required for the role but not a dealbreaker if you don’t have it.
• When stating your weakness, explain what you are doing to overcome it. For example, I have a fear of public speaking and enrolled in a public speaking class to overcome my fear.

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Why should I hire you?

• Look at the job description and find the essential skills and experience required to do the job. Reassure the interviewer that you have the skills and expertise necessary to do the job. Note that your answer needs to demonstrate that you are the solution to the employer’s problem (a vacancy on their team), and no other candidate could do the job better.

What are some questions to ask in a Denny’s interview?

• 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?

Does Denny’s do a criminal background check?

• Denny’s does say they are allowed by law to conduct criminal background checks and use E-Verify to confirm work eligibility. It also says a criminal conviction is not an automatic bar to employment.

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Denny’s Server Interview

Why do you want to be a server at Denny’s?

• Say you are outgoing by nature and enjoy meeting new people, which will help when trying to make people feel at home.
• Mention you will work well in a team, which will help when working with staff in the kitchen.
• State you would like a job that keeps you active.

Why should Denny’s hire you as their server?

You will want to revisit the job description, search for key skills they are looking for, and match those skills to yours. Here are sample skills I found when rereading the server job posting.

• Providing total guest satisfaction. (skill required: communication)
• Helping to keep our restaurants clean, completing side work, and organizing supplies as needed (skill required: attention to detail)
• Suggesting new menu items like our limited-time offerings or flavored coffees (skill required: listening skills)
• Receiving payment for the cashier and making correct change (skill required: math).

A possible answer to this question is

• Say you have excellent communication skills, which allow you to work well with customers and ensure they are satisfied when they leave the restaurant.
• You pay great attention to detail and will always work hard to keep the restaurant clean, organize supplies, and maintain inventory appropriately.
• Mention that you have excellent listening skills, allowing you to meet customers’ expectations and promote new feature items.
• Finally, state you are good at math and will have no problem giving change to the customer.

How are your math skills?

• You will be required to make change for the customer, but that is just addition and subtraction, so you will be fine.

How would you deal with an upset customer?

• Say you would listen very carefully to what the customer has to say and apologize to the customer for the issue. If it was the product they had an issue with, say you would offer to replace it.
• Say you would do whatever it takes to keep the customer happy, as you know how important repeat business is to the company.

Questions to ask on a Denny’s Server Interview

• What are the traits of top-performing servers?

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Denny’s Dishwasher Interview

Why do you want to be a dishwasher?

• Say you enjoy working in a fast-paced environment and will enjoy the challenge of working under pressure.
• With Denny’s being such a successful franchise, you can learn much about the restaurant industry.

Why should Denny’s hire you as their dishwasher?

• Say you have the right skill set to be a dishwasher, including working under pressure, punctuality, and organization.

Why should Denny’s hire you as their dishwasher?

For this question, you want to reread the job description, find the critical skills they seek, and match them to yours.  After rereading the posting, here is what I see the skills they are looking for

• A Denny’s Dishwasher/Service Assistant has a “Guests First” attitude, engaging in friendly conversation with guests & employees as you perform duties such as busing and cleaning guest tables (skill required: communication skills).
• Maintains the dish room and ensures that all dishware, utensils, pots, and pans are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. (skill required: attention to detail).
• Cleans and organizes the back of the house, including coolers, freezers, and stock areas. (skill required: organizational skills).

A possible answer to this question is

• Say you have excellent communication skills and will always interact well with guests.
• Mention you always pay attention to detail and will make sure dishware, pots, and pans are clean and sanitized.
• Finally, state you have strong organizational skills and will always maintain a well-stocked and organized freezer or cooler.

How do you feel about cleaning toilets?

• Say you don’t mind cleaning washrooms, as they are essential to the restaurant. Also, cleanliness and the first impression are everything, so all restaurant areas must be clean.

Do you have any interest in food or becoming a cook?

• You will want to say yes to this question. Most restaurants want to promote from within, so show that you are willing to become a cook.

What would your previous manager say is your top skill?

• I work well under pressure.

Questions to ask on a Denny’s dishwasher interview

• Why did the previous dishwasher leave? What did he/she do well? What could he/she have improved on?

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See Also

• Share Your Interview Experience – Help Others Prepare

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