McDonald’s Interview Questions

If you are looking for McDonald’s Interview Questions you have come to the right place.

The McDonald’s Interview Process consists of open interviews (walk-in), one-on-one, group interviews, and second interviews.

We all know interviews are stressful and competition is intense.

However, with a small amount of preparation, you can ace the Mcdonald’s Job Interview.

Here you will find how to successfully answer Mcdonald’s Job Interview Questions.

Please note these are practice interview questions and we are not affiliated with the company mentioned in this post.

McDonald’s Interview Questions and Answers

1. What can you tell us about McDonald’s?

About McDonald’s

• McDonald’s is the largest quick-service restaurant chain in the world.
• McDonald’s sells hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken, French Fries, breakfast items, soft drinks, shakes, and desserts.
• McDonald’s offers a wide variety of healthy food options such as salads, yogurts, apple and orange juice, snack wraps, and fresh fruit.
• As of 2023, there are over 36,000 McDonald’s restaurants.
• Approximately 70 percent of McDonald’s’ U.S. sales now come from drive-thru windows.

2. Why do you want to work at McDonald’s?

Possible Answers are:

• I enjoy working with people and am eager to work in a challenging, fast-paced environment like McDonald’s.
• McDonald’s offers exceptional value to its customers, and I would be proud to represent them as a result.
• As a huge corporation, McDonald’s offers numerous opportunities to learn and grow. In fact, according to the McDonald’s website, more than 50% of franchise owners and 75% of restaurant managers started off behind the counter.

3. Why should I hire you?

• State you are a quick learner and will not have any issue learning the product line at McDonald’s or how to use the point of sale system.
• Mention you pay great attention to detail and will always make sure the orders are accurate and your station is clean and tidy.
• Finally, say you are great with people and will always make sure customers feel welcome by greeting them with a smile.

4. What hours can you work?

• It is in your best interest to be as flexible as possible with your hours so try and say yes. Note many of their restaurants are now open 24 hours a day.

5. Are you looking for full-time or part-time work?

• I don’t think there is a wrong answer to this question. McDonald’s is always looking for part-time and part-time employees.

6. Where do you see yourself in five years?

This question is designed to see if you have career goals but also to see if you are a good fit for the industry.

• If you are going to college tell them what you plan on doing and relate how working at McDonald’s can help you with your career goals.  For example, if you are studying commerce, state you think working at a Fortune 500 company can teach you a lot about business.
• Perhaps you want to learn about the restaurant industry if so tell them you would like to get into restaurant management.

7. What is your greatest strength?

• The best way to respond to this question is to describe the skills and experience that directly correlate with the job you are applying for. With this in mind, review the job description and reassure the interviewer that you have the experience and skills to do the job.

8.  What is your greatest weakness?

Customer Service Interview Questions

9. How do you define great customer service?

• The food is delivered on time and made to order.
• The restaurant is clean inside and outside of the restaurant
• If the customer was elderly or with children I would ask them if they would like to sit down and I can bring the food to them.

10. How would you deal with an upset customer?

1. Listen and let the customer vent.
2. Show the customer you care.
3. Don’t blame the customer or the company.
4. Try to solve the problem or find someone who can.
5. Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
6. Finally, it is important not to take it personally.  If you get upset you will take it on future customers.

Previous Work Experience

11. What experience do you have?

• The best way to respond to this question is to describe the skills and experience that you have which directly correlate with the job you are applying for. Therefore review the job description and reassure the interviewer that you have the experience and skills to do the job.
• If you have other restaurant experiences talk about them. Talk about any cashier experience you may have.
• Don’t worry if you don’t have restaurant experience or any other type of experience as McDonald’s hires lots of first-time workers.

12. Why did you leave your last job?

• Unfortunately, this could be a trick question where they ask about things you didn’t like in your previous job.
• The best answer is to say that you enjoyed everything about your last job; however, you feel that you have learned all you could in that role and are now looking for new challenges.

13. Why is there a gap in your resume?

• The best approach when answering this question is to be honest because being truthful about your situation gives the employer a sense of your integrity and confidence.

14. Have you ever worked in fast food before?

• Rush hour at McDonald’s can get extremely busy so it is beneficial to have fast-food work experience. If you don’t have fast food experience tell the interviewer about other experiences you have working under pressure. 

15. How would your previous manager describe you?

• Successful McDonald’s Employees are team players, work well under pressure, and are good listeners.

Behavioral Interview Questions

16. Tell us about a time you went above and beyond for a customer?

• Customers love it when you go above and beyond for them, which will, in turn, generate more business. Try to think of a time when you went above and beyond for a customer. For example, when I was a server at a restaurant, we did not have a specific dessert in the restaurant. Luckily, the restaurant next door had it and I got it for the customer.   
• Here’s another example: I worked at a fast-food chain in my last job.  There was a senior citizen at the restaurant and he had finished his meal. The rain started, and he started to worry because he didn’t have an umbrella. Luckily, I had an umbrella, so I walked him to his car, sheltering him from the rain.

17. Could you tell me about a time your punctuality or attendance impacted your work?

• Everyone misses work from time to time but make sure you have a good reason. Also, explain what you did to reduce the impact of your absence.
• For example, “I worked at a popular fast-food chain and I was unable to attend my shift due to an illness. I phoned several team members and I was able to find someone to cover my shift”.

18. Tell us about a time you disagreed with a coworker or manager and what was the outcome?

• It is only natural to have conflict at work. What is important is how you and your colleague come up with a positive outcome. When you state a conflict make sure you follow up with a positive outcome.

Additional McDonald’s Interview Questions

19. Are you good at math?

• Say Yes. Remember this is simple addition and subtracting (making change).

20. What are your salary expectations?

• This is a stressful question because if you ask for too much, you will not get the job, and if you ask for too little, they will happily underpay you.
• Be sure to research salary expectations for your role before you go into the interview. There are plenty of sites that discuss salary ranges.
• Ask about the salary range if you don’t know what to say.  You can then counter with the high end of the range.
• Note most entry-level jobs will pay minimum wage.

21. What motivates you?

22. What is your favorite product?

• This question is asked to demonstrate you are passionate about McDonald’s. The top 3 selling products are snack wrap, Big Mac, and French Fries.

23. What’s more important, fast service or friendly service?

• Since McDonald’s is a quick-service restaurant fast accurate service is more important.  If service is slow customers will become upset which will stress employees making friendly service difficult to maintain.   

24. 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.

25. Why Is personal appearance important?

• Since the majority of roles at Mcdonald’s are customer-facing then personal appearance is very important.  Customers need to feel people servicing the food are hygienic which can be seen through personal appearance.  

26. How would you make McDonald’s a better company?

• When possible, follow up with the customer regarding their experience with food satisfaction and customer service. Make improvements based on customer feedback.
• Be an industry leader in utilizing new technologies to make wait times more efficient Continue to introduce new healthy products

Questions to Ask at the End of Your Interview

27. Do you have any questions for us?

The best questions are the ones that emerge from the conversation during the interview.  However, one should have prepared questions just in case.

• What training will I receive?
• What hours will I work?
• Which part of the position has the steepest learning curve? What can I do to get up to speed quickly?
• Can you describe the characteristics of your top performers at McDonald’s?
• What do you like best about working at McDonald’s?
• How would you measure my success and what could I do to succeed in your expectations?
• What opportunities will I have to learn and grow?

What to Wear at a Mcdonald’s Interview

• Remember you want to look like someone who can serve food so if you have long hair wear it back and wear a limited amount of jewelry.
• If you are applying for an entry-level position then dress business casually.

What to Bring to a Mcdonald’s Interview

• Bring two extra copies of your resume.
• Bring something to write on.
• A sheet with references.
• A sheet with questions.

How long is a McDonald’s Interview

• The interview will last anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. If the interview lasts longer than 10 minutes it shows you have a good rapport with the interviewer.

How do I prepare for a Mcdonald’s interview?

• Before applying, take the time to research the company and ask yourself why you’re interested in working there. What sets McDonald’s apart from other quick-service restaurants?
• Prepare for the interview by reviewing common questions and thinking about how you can provide examples from your personal experience to answer them.  
• Consider your career goals and how working at McDonald’s could align with them. McDonald’s tends to prefer candidates whose career aspirations include the restaurant industry, such as aspiring restaurant managers. If you’re looking to work at McDonald’s to pay for your education, that’s fine, but be sure to demonstrate your commitment to staying with the company for more than just a few months.
• Ensure that you know the location of your interview and plan your route in advance, taking into account the time it will take to get there. Use online resources to find the easiest way to reach your destination and add extra time to your travel plan to ensure that you arrive on time. The last thing you want is to be late for your interview.

Tip: Don’t use the word fast food

• During your restaurant interviews, avoid using the term ‘fast food’. Instead, refer to the industry as ‘quick-service restaurants’. The term ‘fast food’ can have negative connotations and may be associated with unhealthy diets. Quick-service restaurants promote moderate eating habits and invest heavily in marketing their food quality, so it’s best to avoid the term ‘fast food’ to show respect.

See Also:

• McDonald’s Crew Member Interview
• McDonald’s Cashier Interview
• U.S. Salary Ranges at McDonald’s
• McDonald’s Job Descriptions
• McDonald’s Interview Preparation Quiz