How to Conduct an Interview for a Restaurant Management Role

Did you know that the average tenure for a restaurant manager is approximately four months and four days? With this frequency of turnover, restaurant owners, general managers, and even floor managers must constantly be ready to interview candidates for managerial roles in their restaurants.

We’ve all been through the interviewing process, and there’s no denying that it’s taxing on everyone involved. When assessing potential candidates, there’s a lot to consider. You want to be sure that you have asked all the right questions to help you whittle down your shortlist. 

According to 7Shifts, there are seven general competencies included in a restaurant manager’s job. This includes; staffing, accounting and finances, inventory management, scheduling shifts and running payroll, marketing and advertising, customer service, and operations. 

Additionally, there are six responsibilities not found explicitly in the manager’s job description but still paramount to the role: 

• Employee retention

• Human resources

• General maintenance

• Tech oversight

• Ongoing training and development

• Encouraging innovation

Clearly, you have to keep your eye out for a lot of things when looking for your ideal fit. You can, fortunately, gather all of this information and more at the interview stage. A meeting with your shortlisted candidates provides an opportunity for connection and a chance to start building a working relationship together.

On average, it takes 20.7 days to hire a member of staff in the hospitality sector, so ensure that you make the right choice. For that reason, we've compiled 16 examples of restaurant manager interview questions that you can use to help you identify the best fit for your restaurant’s needs.

After that, if you’re still feeling a little lost in your hiring process, check out our guide to hiring the perfect manager, which covers everything you need to know about what to look for in your future employees — and how to find it.

Interview Tips

Interviews are not only a test for the interviewee; the person on the other side of the table is also put through their paces. Being unprepared could mean that you hire the wrong person, or the right candidate slips through the net and joins your competitors. 

Before we dive into interview questions, consider these helpful tips to ensure that you make the most of the interview process.

Use Your Time Wisely

In the space of an hour, you are expected to know if the candidate is a good fit or not. So it’s crucial to use the time you have with each candidate wisely. This is one of the most difficult parts about interviewing - getting to know each candidate in a short space of time - it’s like speed dating! 

Before even thinking about setting interviews with your shortlisted candidates, you should have some idea of the type of dream candidate you want to hire. Think about the culture of your restaurant and team to help you decide what type of person will slot in without a problem. Then, during the interview, be on the lookout for personality traits that match your ideals.

Don’t Forget Etiquette 

Although time is of the essence, don’t forget your manners in a rush to begin. Greet the interviewee and make sure that they feel comfortable. Offer the candidate some water, tea, or coffee, and engage in some light chit-chat to help ease the tension of the situation on both sides. This sort of banter will be part of their job, so make sure they can carry on a conversation with ease. 

Ask Important Questions First

After a few minutes of small talk, transition into the more formal part of the interview, making sure to ask your most important questions first — that way, if you run out of time and don’t get to ask all the questions you had lined up, you'll still be able to make an informed decision regarding next steps.

Pay Attention

Make sure you’re listening thoroughly to the responses to each question and paying attention to the interviewee’s body language. Candidates should answer questions with original responses that demonstrate their past experiences and should seem engaged and excited to be talking with you. 

Remember that, during this time, the interviewee is also figuring out whether they want to work with you. If they don’t seem like they are also vetting you and your restaurant, they may not be your best bet. An interview is a two-way street.

Be Prepared

Study the candidate’s resume ahead of time. Don’t waste time asking them to run through the professional highlights on their application when you could be asking additional questions about their multitasking skills. 

This goes back to using your time wisely. If you have an understanding of the candidate’s general background beforehand, you can be more efficient with your time and ask more targeted questions about their history.

Restaurant Manager Interview Questions

1. Tell me about yourself

Whilst there’s no correct way to answer this question, a considered response will give insight into personal interests as well as professional goals. Understanding a person’s hobbies, personality traits, and ambitions will also determine how well they’ll mesh with the rest of the team and restaurant guests. 

This question should be a no-brainer — if the candidate is struggling to tell you about their interests, or even seems to be reading off a script, they may not be personable enough to manage your staff. 

2. What skills do you have that make you a good restaurant manager?

As a starter question, this one is expected. As well as assessing whether or not a candidate fits the bill, this prompt has an ulterior motive. 

Sure, the candidate needs to demonstrate that they know what makes a good restaurant manager to be able to carry out the role effectively. However, listing these skills also shows that they’ve taken the time to read the job description and address just what you are looking for in a restaurant manager.

3. Why do you want to manage this restaurant in particular and not another?

Find out what a candidate’s motivation is for working at your restaurant to evaluate whether or not they are a good match. Their answer will reveal, for one, an outsider’s view of your restaurant business. Two, that the candidate has done their research, and three, that they have a genuine interest in working for your restaurant. 

4. It looks like your longest tenure at one restaurant was X. What made you stay that long?

This question will likely cover a person’s commitment to their role and, more importantly, the business. It also identifies what someone looks for in a role and why they might be a good fit at one restaurant over another. 

Exploring their experience in this way helps to gauge what your candidate prioritizes regarding workplace culture, and allows you to assess if your establishment would fit in with their preferences. After all, you don’t want to be repeating the hiring process in a few months time.

5. What drove you to look for a new opportunity?

The answer to this question should shed light on an individual’s desire for growth, showing their ambitions and forward-thinking approach. It’s not uncommon for this question to lead to a discussion about the relationship between the candidate and their former supervisors. 

Your candidate should speak about the positives of their previous positions rather than the negatives. Instead of listing things they didn’t like about their former boss, your interviewee should talk about management styles that help them be a better employee. 

If the candidate has nothing but unfavorable things to say about their previous establishment, it’s likely they will do the same in your restaurant. You want a new employee to bring positivity to your existing team and not a negative presence.

6. Describe a time when you exceeded customer expectations

Customer satisfaction is the goal, ensuring repeat custom and spreading the good word about your restaurant business. Therefore, you want to hire a restaurant manager who understands this and encourages a go-above-and-beyond culture within the team. 

We all remember customers who left having had a wonderful experience as a result of your attention to detail and excellent service. So, your restaurant manager candidate should regale you of similar tales from previous hospitality roles. More importantly, they will be able to inspire and motivate their prospective team to follow suit.

7. Tell me about a time you had a positive impact on your previous restaurant

Was there a situation where the candidate increased the bottom line? Or maybe they decreased labor costs without losing an employee? 

The interviewee’s responses can be very telling, especially if your restaurant has specific goals or areas you’re trying to address. It’s also a great way to determine if your candidate takes initiative and is comfortable voicing their opinion to positively impact your restaurant. 

8. Tell me about the last team you led. What was the dynamic like? Did you hit your goals? 

It’s vital to understand the relationship a restaurant manager has with their past employees. As you well know, this is because employee performance directly affects the customer experience.

The way a candidate answers this prompt can trigger a million smaller questions about their effectiveness as a manager. Say, for instance, they describe being great at leading a team. The hiring manager can then ask questions about team successes, goals achieved, etc. 

If the interviewee hasn’t had direct leadership experience before, they should still be able to talk about how they’ve exemplified leadership among their peers. In many cases, being seen as a leader among peers says a lot about a candidate because it shows that even without a title, they’re able to garner respect.

9. Describe how you handle staff conflicts

There will be times when employees don’t see eye to eye. Restaurants are known for being high-stress environments at times, and emotions are not always under control. It’s the restaurant manager’s job to use their problem-solving skills and keep the peace. So, how would your potential candidate achieve this balance?

Look for a response that shows they have the ability to handle staff conflicts correctly and, equally importantly, calmly. Management that can’t successfully dampen down a fiery situation is not what you are looking for.

10. As the saying goes, the customer is always right. Tell me about a time when you knew the customer wasn’t right and how you dealt with it

It’s not only in-house disputes that a restaurant manager has to deal with; handling customers politely and effectively is also part of the role. Providing a positive, diplomatic answer to this prompt shows that they are able to demonstrate a level of professionalism that is required when communicating with restaurant customers, unruly and otherwise.

A restaurant manager is someone who is composed, understanding, and empathetic to guests, regardless of the situation. Anything less should not be tolerated.

11. Tell me about a rockstar employee you had on your team

The interviewee’s answer to this question should be a direct reflection of the expectations that this person holds not only for the rockstar individual but for the entire team. It’s not so much about the rockstar employee but suggests how high your candidate’s standards are for the team they manage. 

Plus, it's also good to note the candidate's demeanor in their response. Observe the pride they exude when speaking highly of someone on their team. If it's not there, the candidate may not be genuine in their response or care enough about the position or restaurant.

12. Tell me about your experience recruiting employees for your team

When talking about hiring new employees, look for an answer that shows they share the same ideals as you do. What kind of people does the candidate look for, and are their standards in line with your restaurant's goals?

A potential candidate with a wealth of experience in hiring team players is a bonus. This means that you can leave recruitment in the capable hands of an individual with a history of growing and shaping a trustworthy team.

13. What are some areas of improvement for this restaurant, and what do you think we do well today?

A top question that will weed out candidates who haven’t prepared for the interview by researching your restaurant. If they've never bothered to look into your restaurant, do you really want to give them a chance? 

Beyond that, this question provides the opportunity to showcase how the candidate gives constructive feedback. Someone who glosses over areas of improvement is probably passive — not a great quality in a manager. Instead, you’re looking for someone who is direct and unafraid to offer up ideas and lead. 

Use this question to start a discussion about areas that could be influenced by a new manager with a fresh outlook. The answers might open your mind to new ideas.

14. Do you have experience with restaurant automation tools?

Tech-savvy employees or those who are willing to learn are a benefit to your team. Especially with today’s technological advancements in the restaurant industry. 

A restaurant manager who is a master of the kitchen display system or who knows the handheld POS inside and out can lead the way, upskilling the rest of the team. This ensures your restaurant runs smoothly and your team adopts new technologies with ease.

15. How would you ensure we stay on budget each month?

Budgeting is an essential skill any restaurateur or business owner should possess. If your management team also has these skills, all the better. Ask your potential employee: How are they with inventory management? Can they carry out cost analytics? 

A restaurant manager who demonstrates a flair for finances can cut costs, reduce waste, and ensure that the restaurant is operating efficiently. If a candidate's financial management skills are not demonstrated in their previous work experience, look for answers that focus on their transferable skills and eagerness to learn. You can teach budgeting to someone with a great attitude if they’re enthusiastic about developing new skills. 

Look for a restaurant manager who is able to track and analyze outgoings and share some interesting ideas on how to streamline costs even further. They may prove a profitable hire. 

16. What questions do you have for me?

This one's a given.

A candidate for a restaurant manager position should always have questions. If a candidate is truly interested in a role and organization, they will be naturally curious to learn all that they can. As an interviewer, you should interpret a candidate’s curiosity as passion. Questions also demonstrate that the candidate understands the nature of the role completely.

Expect questions like: What’s the restaurant culture like? What’s the persona of your most frequent diner? How do you handle competition in the industry? And you better have the answers to their questions. Don’t forget, you’re under the microscope too.

It can sometimes be tempting to hire any able-bodied person to work the floor or the line, because of the high turnover rate in restaurants. But it’s important to hire for quality, not quantity, especially in a management role. So, looking out for answers that emphasize this philosophy is a must.

Keep in mind that all these questions can be adapted based on the previous experience of your candidate. Give them opportunities to speak to their strengths in their prior roles, even if they don’t fit within your questions. You are looking for a manager who is right at home in your unique restaurant environment, so tailor these questions accordingly for the best results.

Other Necessities for the Restaurant Manager Interview

Don’t forget to get the transactional interview questions out of the way as well. These are questions about salary requirements, scheduling, availability, and other logistics. Asking these questions early on is helpful in determining the direction of the rest of the interview. If the expectations don’t line up, be up front about it from the beginning so that there’s no surprises at the end.

Additionally, don’t be afraid to trust your instincts when hiring. You know your staff and your restaurant better than anyone, so if you think someone will be a good fit but they don’t have the exact amount of experience you had in mind, trust your gut. 

Use the method that Stephen Darwin, owner of Darwin’s Ltd., uses when considering candidates: “If somebody’s willing, we can train them how to do just about every job that needs to be done. You can't train personality. You can't train manners. You can't train social skills. Sure, you can to a degree. But people either have it or they don't. And it's usually really obvious.” 

Unsure if you should trust Stephen’s hiring model with your own restaurant? Companies like Southwest, Google, Apple, and The Four Seasons also use this strategy when hiring.

Seeking out a skilled manager for your restaurant can feel like a daunting task. However, if you prepare properly and look for a great cultural fit over someone with loads of experience, you’ll find the perfect employee for the job. 

Once the right hire is in place, try out a time-saving management app that will make sure goals are met, your restaurant is run smoothly, and staff are happy to come to work. Staff management is a two-way street. Equipping your new restaurant manager with helpful tech and training sets your business on the road to success. 

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