Food Services Interview Questions & Answers

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I have implemented ideas of how to set the seasonal christmas aisle differently than according to the corporate planogram. Much to the chagrin of the district manager, it worked out well and we had a great sell through of Christmas merchandise.

If you reach this question during the interview, it means they are considering you as a potential hire. However, you should never be the one that brings it up.

The correct way to respond is by making the interviewer aware that your deciding factor is not based on the salary. Although, you don't want to respond with less than your lowest expectations. If responding with a number is required, the best thing is to have average salary statistics to back you up.

"Salary isn't a deciding factor to me. I like the description of the position and would like the job. I can accept average salary for the position that's in the $35,000 to $40,000 range, according to my statistical knowledge."

Employers look at achievements as being more significant than experience, and everyone has some type of achievement. However, some people just don't realize they have them, or they're not able to talk about them.

When it comes to this question, both personal and work, tangible or intangible achievements can leave an impression on the interviewer. For instance, if you used to be a heavy smoker and quit, it shows that you have strong will power and determination.

Life has created achievements on it's own, you just have to realize how and choose the best ones for answering this question.

"When I was the Sales Manager for XYZ Inc., sales increased 20% yearly."

During or after the interview you will be given a chance to ask questions. It's a good idea to ask at least one or two questions, or more. This shows that you have a true interest in the company, and that you're motivated for the job. However, what do you ask?

It is important not to ask about something that was previously mentioned or answered during the interview, or was already explained in the job description, the interviewer will take this as a sign you were not paying attention. Below are some question ideas:

• What will the next step be in the interview process?
• Can you provide more detail about the workplace environment?
• What are the company goals for the next year, five years, or ten years?

Being a server can be a highly stressful job. If a candidate indicates that they shut down under pressure, they may not be right for the job. Ideally, they will not be afraid of a hectic environment; some people even thrive in that type of situation.

Life is all about change, but when it comes to employers, they are looking to understand why you decided to make the change in employment.

It is important that you remain positive, without responding negatively about the prior employer or co-workers. Your response should focus on the future rather than the past.

"I did not find my previous job to be to easy and not enough challenge. It did not motivate me anymore. I liked my boss and co-workers, but I found myself no longer motivated by the position. Based on the description of this position, I believe it will create new motivation for me."

No matter what type of restaurant you run, the serving staff must function as a team in order for the end goal - customer satisfaction - to be achieved. You definitely want to hire a team player! Just chatting with the candidate should give you a good idea of their social skills and personality, but this question provides them an opportunity to shine, describing their best qualities.

This can be one of the harder questions of an interview. However, if you prepare an answer that is convincing, it can lead to you being hired for the job.

This is where your USP (Unique Selling Point) comes into play, and should be your main focus. It refers to showing the interviewer something unique that separates you from the rest, something no one else is offering to the employer. At this stage, generalized phrases will not be effective. You will need to find something unique that you can provide.

I am able to fulfill all of the requirements of the position. Although, I'm sure there are others who can fulfill all of them too, but being a nice person I aim to create a great atmosphere in the workplace. This helps, especially when the team is stressed and beginning to be negative about reaching goals.

No one wants a host at the front of their restaurant standing around looking bored. If there is a lull, a good host should assess the needs of their coworkers, seeing what needs to be done. A strong candidate will know this and will probably have some ideas of typical tasks that they could perform to help out.

The interviewer will attempt to understand motives and intentions, this can actually benefit you as well. By preparing great answer to the question, you may be able to convenience the interviewer that it's worth spending time talking to you for the position, right from the start.

The may thing to remember is to talk about the company rather than yourself (explained later). Prior to the interview it is recommend that you take a look at their website, and the jobs description so that you are ale to prepare a better answer.

"The job description really stuck out to me and I liked the positions responsibilities. I believe I am a perfect match for the position, and a potential asset for the team and company. That is the reason behind submitting my application, and I have relative work experience as well."

This question will give you some great insight into how much the applicant values a serving job. If they say that the most difficult part of serving is dealing with demanding customers that may be a red flag.

Employers know that every person that is responsible will have some type of goal. When being asked this from a recruiter, they are really just trying to find out if you have any goals or dreams. Although, how you respond is important too.

When answering, many tend to make a mistake, such as saying their dream is to have a business of their own. This is not a good response as companies are not looking to hire someone with the goal of leaving in a couple years to begin their own business.

Because of this, it's best to mention personal goals, or if possible connect your future goals with the company in some way. Below are some good answers to respond with during an interview.

"My five year goal is to be a great manager and helping obtain exceptional results for my employer and the company. "

Especially during the holidays it is very important to pay close attention to customers in your store.

In many issues, there is not always a clear distinction between right and a wrong. In order to do the right thing, we always need to use good judgment to manage an issue or crisis.

You may say that you thrive under certain types of pressure. Give an example that relates to the type of position applied for.
Mention pressures you face on the daily, such as dealing with deadlines on a regular basis.
Try not to use an example where you created the pressure yourself, by waiting too long to start something, or by handling a task irresponsibly at the beginning. For example, working under pressure to meet a customer's deadline could be a good example, but not if you had waited too long to start the project.
"Pressure is actually a catalyst to my work. When there is an imperative deadline, I refocus my energy into my work which in fact, has helped me to produce some of my best works. (Give examples) I guess you can say I thrive under pressure."

Asking these questions allows you to get a clear picture of how this individual functions in a restaurant environment. Look for answers that indicate a calm demeanor, that they were polite to the customer(s), and had a positive attitude.

One of the most important things in any industry is customer services because that is how businesses thrive. I ensure that I keep all my customers happy at all times and in the event of an irate one, I make ways and channels to satisfy him or her as best as I can.

If the applicant is well-prepared and really wants the job, they will already be exuding confidence and warmth during the interview. This allows them to really talk about how important hospitality is and how they embody the characteristics necessary for the position. Alternatively, if the applicant seems unsure about what makes a good host, take note.

Not difficult at all. If everything I say sounds like a suggestion in a tone that demands respect, I have no chances of making adversaries and all the chances in the world to make friends!

If the interviewee has done their homework, they will already be familiar with your restaurant's menu and may give you an example right then and there. Even if they don't, they should give an indication that they would portray your restaurant's food in a positive light - you want servers who have tried your food, enjoyed it, and will pass that message on to customers!

Rather than define your weaknesses, it is important to redirect the focus to defining how you handle your weaknesses and overcome them, or improve them. The interviewer and employer are looking to hear that you acknowledge your weakness, but also know how to improve on them, this shows positive attitudes.

The second thing you should focus on is what weakness to respond with. You should avoid using a weakness that is required for the hire position. This isn't very complicated and should be rather straightforward.

"I'm not a very patient person, which is obviously a bad thing. However, I have been working towards it daily by being more tolerant to others and controlling myself. It is not easy, but over the years I have made significant progress."

Right away, this question should produce an answer that indicates the candidate's temperament. Look for someone who knows how to remain calm in this potentially stressful situation and has great social skills. A person who seems to be hot-headed or easily anxious may not be a good fit!

The best approach to the first open-ended question is to simply be simple and brief. Start with outlining educational achievements, professional experiences, and any important skills in just a couple minutes. You should be bold, quick, and straightforward.

Once you have provided the outline, start asking questions to determine what the employer is looking to get out of hiring you. Remember, the interviewer isn't wanting to know everything about your life and likely does not care about half of what you have done. If your answer is to long you risk giving to much information that the employer isn't looking for and could be hinder you being hired.

What the employer is wanting to know is:
• Are you able to do the job, and have the skills?
• Are you a good fit for the team and be productive?
• Are you going to create issues, such as leaving shortly after, cause a lawsuit, or try to sue the company, or just be an issue to work with in general?

Pay attention on what it is you do, highlighting what sets you apart from others. Being able to differentiate yourself from the competition is a really smart way to get ahead.

Similar to the above question, this allows the interviewee to really talk themselves up. If they identify "politeness" as a good quality, for example, look to see if they then talk about their excellent social skills, ability to be polite even when someone is being rude, etc. Also, in an interview setting, this politeness will likely be on full display! Make sure that the candidate is really exuding the qualities they claim to possess.

Where do you fit in? Serving is a team effort, so your prospective employer needs to know that can work well with others. They also need to know that you can integrate yourself quickly into your new role. Give an answer that explains how much you value teamwork, and that you can fit in quickly. Here is an answer that fulfills both criteria:

"I'm a team player and a quick learner. Each shift I will try to contribute more to help my coworkers than I ask in return. I think I can still learn a few things from the servers already here, but also hope that I can contribute a bit as well. I hope that as I improve my own skills, others will improve theirs as well."

Remember to ask yourself these restaurant interview questions before going into the interview. Having a reasonable answer for these questions increases your chances of being hired as a server. If you feel like you would hire yourself, then your prospective employer should as well. And if you need help landing interviews, try a trusted resume and cover letter builder like the one offered by LiveCareer. With a better resume and cover letter, you'll approach interviews with added confidence--and be more ready to attack those tough questions!