{"id":921,"date":"2026-02-03T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.zoomshift.com\/blog\/25-best-restaurant-interview-questions\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T06:41:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T11:41:55","slug":"restaurant-interview-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/restaurant-interview-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"35 Best Restaurant Interview Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Interviewing isn\u2019t most people\u2019s idea of fun, but it remains a crucial step in both hiring and job searching. An interview gives you the opportunity to validate and expand on a candidate\u2019s application \u2014 because you can\u2019t truly understand someone from a few pages of qualifications alone.<\/p>\n

When meeting potential hires \u2014 especially in a fast-paced industry like foodservice \u2014 it\u2019s important to go beyond surface-level questions. You need to understand what motivates them, how they think, and whether they\u2019ll be a good fit for your team.<\/p>\n

Here are 35 great questions to add to your interview process in 2026:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n

1. What are you excited about right now?<\/h3>\n

A healthy work-life balance is important, especially for those in the food and beverage industry. Find out their passion and start building a personal connection.<\/p>\n

2. If you didn\u2019t have to sleep 8 hours a night, what would you fill that time with?<\/h3>\n

Again, try to get them to open up about what goes on outside of work. What are their hobbies, what might they be putting off, what are their dreams? The answers may surprise you.<\/p>\n

3. What would you do in the event of a zombie apocalypse?<\/h3>\n

Ask something to remove the tension. It doesn\u2019t have to be this exact question, but be sure to have fun with your interview.<\/p>\n

4. What draws you to foodservice?<\/h3>\n

Find out their why.<\/p>\n

5. What interests you about this position at this restaurant?<\/h3>\n

Now that you know their why, figure out why here.<\/p>\n

6. Have you dined at our establishment before?<\/h3>\n

If they have and have good things to say, it shows commitment and genuine interest. If they lie and it\u2019s apparent they\u2019re shaky about their answer, it can tell you something about them as well.<\/p>\n

\"Restaurant<\/a><\/p>\n

7. When was a time you went out of your way to really delight a guest?<\/h3>\n

The restaurant business is all about creating positive experiences.<\/a><\/p>\n

8. What do you hope to learn working here?<\/h3>\n

See if it\u2019s all about a paycheck or if they have greater ambitions.<\/p>\n

9. What\u2019s your greatest strength?<\/h3>\n

No need to be humble or modest here. Find out what sets them apart from others.<\/p>\n

10. What does hospitality mean to you?<\/h3>\n

Get a feel for how they like to be treated and see how close their definition aligns with the actual definition and your own vision of hospitality.<\/p>\n

11. Tell me about the best boss you ever had.<\/h3>\n

The values they share about their best boss are important to them and help you find out if they\u2019re a culture fit.<\/p>\n

12. Why are you leaving your current job?<\/h3>\n

Are they ambitious and loyal? Or are they bouncing around for an extra 50 cents an hour?<\/p>\n

13. If hired, how long do you plan on staying here?<\/h3>\n

A direct question that will help determine their intentions.<\/p>\n

14. Do you have any food allergies?<\/h3>\n

Easy question, but one you don\u2019t want to forget to ask.<\/p>\n

15. What hours are you available to work?<\/h3>\n

Another basic question, but dig deeper here and ask if there\u2019s any reason those hours would change.<\/p>\n

16. How do you feel about tip sharing?<\/h3>\n

If applicable of course. It\u2019s better to be upfront about these things than create animosity later.<\/p>\n

17. Do you have any mnemonic tools or tricks for remembering orders?<\/h3>\n

Get a good feel for their skills and experience upfront.<\/p>\n

18. Do you prefer working in a team or alone?<\/h3>\n

Nothing wrong with wanting to work alone, but the answer could uncover whether they\u2019re a team player or not.<\/p>\n

19. How do you handle people who aren\u2019t pulling their weight?<\/h3>\n

Every workplace has that person. See if they’re creative in their solutions or take a leader\u2019s approach. This could signify leadership material early on.<\/p>\n

20. Tell me about the most difficult customer you ever had.<\/h3>\n

Find out how they handled it.<\/p>\n

21. Are there people you\u2019d refuse to serve?<\/h3>\n

Prejudice is still a problem in the 21st century and a simple question like this can reveal a lot.<\/p>\n

22. How would you handle a customer trying to use an expired coupon?<\/h3>\n

Every restaurant\u2019s policy is different, but it\u2019s a great indicator of how they react under pressure.<\/p>\n

23. What\u2019s the most common reason you\u2019d be late for a shift?<\/h3>\n

Even dependable and punctual employees are late from time to time.<\/a> It\u2019s good to call this out early and see how they handle it.<\/p>\n

24. Tell me about a time you made a mistake on the job and how you went about fixing it.<\/h3>\n

Everyone makes mistakes \u2013 especially in restaurants. See if they\u2019re capable of recognizing flaws and if they work proactively to resolve them.<\/p>\n

25. What questions do you have for us?<\/h3>\n

Always end a little early so they can ask you questions. How prepared they come and the quality of their questions can tell you a lot in a short amount of time.<\/p>\n

26. What are your career goals?<\/h3>\n

A few candidates may say that they cherish the opportunity to delight customers or that they want to own their own restaurant, but chances are they have other pursuits or are going to school on the side. Knowing a person\u2019s ambitions makes it easier to motivate them.<\/p>\n

27. How would you define being a \u201cteam player\u201d in the restaurant industry?<\/h3>\n

A kitchen or restaurant is only as good as its weakest link, so it\u2019s imperative that you get a feel for why they\u2019re here and how well they interact with others.<\/p>\n

\"Restaurant<\/a><\/p>\n

28. How would you resolve a conflict involving another coworker?<\/h3>\n

Restaurants employ all types of people, which can naturally lead to disagreements, feuds, and even fighting from time to time. Help them formulate a plan upfront so you\u2019re both on the same page as to how it ideally should get handled.<\/p>\n

29. Would you consider yourself a patient person? If so, please explain.<\/h3>\n

The vast majority of candidates will answer yes. The explanation part is where you\u2019ll reveal some interesting tidbits regarding their definition of patience.<\/p>\n

30. When you\u2019re dining out, is there anything servers do or don\u2019t do that gets on your nerves?<\/h3>\n

The quality of their answer will reveal their industry experience and give you a sense of their pet peeves. Chances are if they\u2019re annoyed by something, then they\u2019ll often do the exact opposite.<\/p>\n

31. How would you describe the difference between good customer service and excellent customer service?<\/h3>\n

Delighting people to encourage repeat visits is huge in the restaurant industry. What does \u201cgoing the extra mile\u201d mean to them?<\/p>\n

32. Would you rather miss a deadline to ensure the details are correct or miss a detail to ensure you meet a deadline?<\/h3>\n

A successful restaurant balances accuracy and speed, so the answer here will tell you a lot about their problem-solving skills and priorities.<\/p>\n

33. Tell me about a time you knowingly broke the rules at a previous job.<\/h3>\n

Every restaurant has rules in place for a reason. However, it\u2019s important to bend such rules from time to time if it enhances the customer\u2019s experience.<\/p>\n

34. Are you more likely to cover up a mistake or point it out?<\/h3>\n

Integrity is the single most important quality in a candidate. Any wavering on this question might reveal they\u2019re not a good fit.<\/p>\n

35. How do you feel about coming in early, staying late, or picking up an extra shift here and there when we get busy?<\/h3>\n

Flexibility is everything for a busy restaurant, and knowing upfront how eager they are to work and be a team player will help you make the best hiring decision.<\/p>\n

Your investigation doesn\u2019t have to end when the interview\u2019s over. If you get a good vibe and want to be absolutely certain they have potential, then hire them for the weekend. Pay them to spend 20 hours on the job with your crew. Let them figure out if it\u2019s a fit for them<\/a> and get feedback from your staff while you\u2019re at it. That way you can validate your hiring decision and won’t be wasting anyone\u2019s time in the long run.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/span>Restaurant Interview Best Practices<\/span><\/h2>\n

1. Come to the table with specific examples of your accomplishments<\/strong>. Over your career, it\u2019s crucial to reflect and notate all of your wins. That way, when you go up for an interview, you can easily rattle off specific customer examples, awards, and other accomplishments that may help you stand out as an ideal candidate.<\/p>\n

2. Dress for the job you want, not the one you have. <\/strong>It\u2019s rare to overdress for an interview. When in doubt, go dressier than you think. It\u2019s especially important if you don\u2019t have the skills or experience to bank on. Just because you\u2019re a dishwasher now doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t jump ahead because you dressed nicely, communicated effectively, and showed enthusiasm and an eagerness to learn.<\/p>\n

3. Bring a physical copy of your resume and cover letter.<\/strong> Even if you filled it out online, it\u2019s good to have a paper copy they can review as the interview goes on. It shows you\u2019re prepared, and it puts a face with your resume, which may come in handy if they\u2019re interviewing dozens of candidates.<\/p>\n

4. Bring something to take notes on<\/strong>and use it<\/strong>. Hiring managers are often giving out a lot of details about the role, the restaurant, and advice on how to be successful. Show you\u2019re listening by repeating what they say and jotting it down. It shows enthusiasm for the role and that you value their time and advice.<\/p>\n

5. Rehearse a few great interview questions of your own.<\/strong> There\u2019s a good chance they\u2019ll ask if you have any questions, and often the caliber of your questions can help you stand out. Come up with 4-5 questions beforehand, just in case they answer some of yours during the interview. Think outside the box and try to challenge them a bit. Dig deeper than, \u201ccan we wear jeans?\u201d Ask about the bigger picture of the restaurant or what the hiring manager\u2019s goals are this year.<\/p>\n

6. Follow up with every manager you met. <\/strong>Following up is the single most important thing you can do to stand out. Often people will nail the big stuff, and the hiring manager needs little things to decide between candidates. Follow up via email, express gratitude for the opportunity, show enthusiasm about the prospect of working there, and let them know you\u2019re available for any follow-up interviews or questions they may have.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Getting More Done With Restaurant Scheduling Software<\/span><\/h2>\n

Once you\u2019ve hired new employees, it\u2019s vital that you onboard and retain them with the #1 restaurant scheduling tool<\/a>: ZoomShift.<\/p>\n

The power of ZoomShift enables you to orient new staff to your rules and procedures in minutes, not hours. Once you\u2019ve added them into the software, instruct them to download ZoomShift on the Google Play Store<\/a> or the Apple App Store<\/a>. Both apps are easy to navigate and jam-packed with useful features.<\/p>\n

Next up, show them on the app how easy it is to see their schedule, clock-in, log breaks, clock-out, cover shifts, and request time off. If you or they have more questions about navigating ZoomShift, head over to our help site<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s on your go-to list of interview questions? Share your favorites in the comments below:<\/strong>
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