Restaurant Manager interview questions

Basic questions

1. What does a normal shift look like for you as a Restaurant Manager?
2. What personal hygiene rules do you follow before and during work?
3. How do you greet a guest or customer when they first arrive?
4. Why is it important to keep raw and cooked food separate?
5. How do you keep your work area clean during a busy shift?
6. What would you do if a guest asks about something you do not know?
7. Which tasks do you do at the start and end of each shift as a Restaurant Manager?
8. What do you do if something spills on the floor?

Practical questions

1. A guest says their order is wrong. What do you do?
2. It is a very busy evening and the team is one person short. How do you manage?
3. How do you check that food or supplies are still fresh and safe to use?
4. A guest asks whether a dish contains nuts or another allergen. How do you answer?
5. As a Restaurant Manager, how do you work with the kitchen, front desk or other teams during a rush?
6. A guest has been waiting too long and is getting impatient. What do you say and do?
7. How do you handle a large group or a special event booking?
8. How do you learn a new menu, recipe or service standard quickly?

What interviewers want to hear

Strong answers usually touch on:

• Answer with a real example: the situation, what you did, and the result, ideally with a number.
• Keep each answer to about a minute; make your main point in the first two sentences.
• Expect follow-ups. Good interviewers dig into what you just said.