Restaurant Crew Member - Interview Questions

Restaurant crew members must have several skills similar to those that servers, bartenders, and kitchen staff also have. This includes computer skills, memorization, communication skills, flexibility, reliability, responsibility, customer service expertise, problems solving and conflict resolution skills, and more. What makes you a strong candidate likely comes down to a few of these qualities. 

Highlight the qualities you feel are most important for a restaurant crew member to have to be successful, and share examples that showcase those skills you have. You should try to match your answer to what the company is looking for in the right candidate. 

“I believe _____ and _____ are the most important qualities or skills a restaurant crew member can have because _____. These skills allow a crew member to _____. In a previous role, these skills allowed me to _____.”

Working as a restaurant crew member can sometimes be challenging, especially during a busy shift, but it can also be exciting, fun, and a great way to learn about the operations of a restaurant. Crew members are responsible for a variety of tasks in both the front and back of the house, and work alongside and assist nearly everyone in the restaurant. 

Similar to an interview for a server or bartender position, the hiring manager wants to ensure you have the right personality to work in the industry and with customers - in addition to having experience and skills - so sharing your favorite part about working in a restaurant can give them insight into this. 

“My favorite part about working in a restaurant is that every single shift is different. You never know what customers will walk through the door, what problems may arise, or the responsibilities you’ll have that shift. It keeps you on your toes, but also makes every shift an exciting challenge.”

Other than taking orders, running and serving food, and providing exceptional customer service, restaurant crew members have other responsibilities as well. This may include meal prepping in the kitchen, cleaning and sanitizing tables and dining areas, stocking supplies and managing inventory, and assisting other restaurant staff with their tasks. 

Not only does the hiring manager want to know you’re aware of these other responsibilities, but also that they can rely on you to keep yourself busy and complete them. 

There will be times when you’ll have to help a customer who isn’t satisfied with their meal or dining experience. This could be for a variety of reasons, and in some cases, they may even send their meal back to the kitchen. Regardless of the complaint, it’s your job to treat that customer with respect and ensure you do everything you can to fix their problem.

If you’re able, give an example of when this happened to you in the past. Or, if you don’t have previous restaurant experience, talk through what you would do in this scenario. Highlight points such as you’d try to understand why the customer isn’t satisfied (like they don’t like the flavor or something isn’t cooked properly), and that you’d make a recommendation for something else they may enjoy. 

It’s important to share that you’d remain positive and friendly with the customer regardless of how they react in this situation. 

Some restaurant shifts can belong, and you may be busy for much of the shift. The hiring manager is looking to understand your process both physically and mentally for preparing for a long shift. Do you do something specific to psych yourself up? Do you have a checklist that ensures all of your supplies and inventory are stocked and the restaurant is clean and ready for customers? 

Describe how you know what’s required of a restaurant crew member to ensure a successful shift from start to finish, which can showcase your preparation, organization, multitasking skills, and industry knowledge.

“When I know I’ll be working a long shift, I make sure to get a good night’s sleep the night before. Before the shift starts, I run through a shift-preparation checklist to ensure everything is stocked and the restaurant is ready to begin serving customers. I’ll also do a quick clean and sanitization of the tables and dining area, and then check in with other staff to see how I can assist them.”

Restaurant staff is busy, and crew members are often responsible for helping to ensure customers are still taken care of and their needs are met. Sometimes you may have multiple guests that need their order taken at the same time, or several trays of food to run at once. 

Highlight your customer service, organization, and multitasking skills here. Share what you may say or do to show a customer you’ll be right with them, and how you balance caring for customers and completing other responsibilities. 

Essentially, the hiring manager is looking for confirmation that you don’t get overwhelmed easily, can work well under pressure, and can juggle multiple tasks at once while maintaining a positive atmosphere.

Restaurant crew member roles are often considered entry-level, so you may not have other restaurant experience on your resume. If that’s the case, don’t worry, because you’ll likely have plenty of opportunities to explain to the hiring manager why you’re still qualified for the role. 

In this case, they want to ensure that even without experience you’re at least vaguely familiar with what it takes to work in the restaurant industry. In your answer, highlight skills or personality traits that are important for this role. Pay particular attention to and mention any skills listed in the job description. 

“I want to work in the restaurant industry because I love the fast-paced environment and I thrive in a workplace where I can be busy and work regularly with others. I’m great at multitasking and working under pressure, and I appreciate the teamwork necessary so each shift runs smoothly. I’m also interested in becoming a server or bartender in the future, and I think this is a great place to start to learn about the industry and what it takes to work in a restaurant.”

Again, the nature of a restaurant crew member’s role is to assist others in the restaurant when and where necessary, including servers, bartenders, cooks, cashiers, and management. You’ll be working alongside other team members each shift, and likely helping to take care of customers. 

Even if you haven’t worked in a restaurant before, think of an example when you helped a customer, team member, or someone else during a previous job or volunteer experience. The hiring manager wants to know how far you’re willing to go to accommodate guests or be a team player. If you can, include details about the customer or team member’s response to what you did for them.

No one is perfect, and the hiring manager doesn’t expect you to be. However, what they do expect is that you learn from past mistakes and ensure they don’t happen again. 

In your answer, explain a situation and the mistake that occurred. Most importantly, focus on the outcome following the situation, how you made amends or corrected the mistake, and what you’ve done since then to avoid making that mistake again. Be honest with your answer, but don’t go overboard. It’s more important that you show you can recognize your flaws and use them to improve your job performance. 

You may be asked this question especially if you don’t have prior restaurant experience. The hiring manager wants to know you’re at least familiar with what it takes to work in a restaurant, including the responsibilities and skills of those who work there. It can also show your attention to detail and willingness to learn. 

Through your answer, you can show the hiring manager you recognize what stands out and is important to customers, and share what you’d do to reinforce those experiences if you were hired. 

“There are several things that stand out and are important to me when I visit a restaurant, including the quality of the menu and food. However, what stands out most to me is when servers or other staff are passionate about what they do. They aren’t just friendly to customers, they genuinely love what they are doing and taking care of diners. As a customer, it elevates your dining experience to a whole new level and makes me much more likely to return.”