The staff you hire, their roles, and how they serve your guests are diverse and complex.
Identifying individuals who possess the soft and hard skills required of each role and simultaneously embody the spirit of hospitality can significantly improve a guest's dining experience.
Each hire you make has a direct influence on the guest experience, affecting not just immediate satisfaction but also long-term loyalty and brand perception. It’s paramount to get it right.
Finding candidates who embody the spirit of hospitality is easier said than done. Your best bet is to be thorough during the interview process and have questions at hand to help you choose the right staff.
Why staffing is so tough Filling positions at a restaurant , specifically for front-of-house, requires finding folks who balance excellent multitasking skills, stress management, and a commitment to service excellence. They are the face of your restaurant, responsible for anticipating and catering to guests’ needs, often going the extra mile to ensure satisfaction.
This requires a thorough vetting process, but the barrier of entry can’t be too high, lest you scare off skillful staff members. Not to mention, many skills you’re looking for are soft skills, which are not always easy to evaluate through traditional interview questions.
With one of the highest turnover rates in any industry, keeping your restaurant fully staffed with workers who possess an innate sense of service and the ability to handle the dynamics of guest interaction is a continuous challenge.
We’ve chosen seven questions to help you identify a candidate’s ability to perform the required tasks and their capacity to embody the ethos of genuine hospitality. You must feel confident about hiring the right people to give your guests a world-class experience.
Questions you need to ask front-of-house candidates We’ve put together a list of seven questions and sample responses you can use to gauge each candidate. These questions will help you separate candidates who truly personify hospitality from those who might not go above and beyond to improve the guest experience .
1. Tell us about a time you dealt with a demanding guest. How did you handle it? This question reveals a candidate’s conflict resolution skills and ability to maintain professionalism and harmony when faced with adversity.
An example of a good answer: “I once had a guest who was really dissatisfied with the time it took them to get their meal. Our kitchen was short-staffed, and so their burger, a meal that would typically take 10 minutes, took about 30. They were rightfully upset, and I could tell. I immediately informed my manager, who went to deliver their food. I followed behind with a coupon for $5 off their next meal and later brought them a free dessert. They felt so taken care of that they forgot about the long wait time, and it was so rewarding seeing their demeanor shift from dissatisfaction to excitement and gratitude.”
2. Imagine a guest has a long wait for their table. How would you manage their expectations? Long wait times can be really frustrating for guests, and the best way to approach the situation is with honesty and compassion. They also need to be transparent about the wait time, offer a realistic estimate of how much longer the guests will need to wait, and explain any reasons for the delay so that the guest feels heard.
An example of a good answer: “I would begin by apologizing for the inconvenience and explain why there is a wait, then provide them with an accurate timeline of how long they’ll have to wait. I will continually check in on them as they wait, thanking them for their patience. I’d also offer them a beverage and suggest nearby attractions they could visit while waiting. I would do this to make sure they understand that we value their time and are committed to making their experience great from the moment they walk through the door.”
3. How do you stay positive and maintain a great attitude in a fast-paced environment? We all have days when external factors can get us down. Whether it’s an angry guest, a flat tire on the way to work, or just a generally lousy day.
It’s a harsh reality, but these factors mustn’t impact guest interactions. Resilience and a positive outlook are crucial in the high-pressure environment of a busy restaurant.
How your candidate responds to this question will show how they stay focused on the task at hand—giving your guests the best experience possible—despite challenges outside their control.
An example of a good answer: “Keeping the guest experience front-and-center helps me to stay positive. My job revolves around their experience — if they’re happy, I’m happy — so I’ll do everything in my power to make sure they are. I’m very attentive, reading their body language and social queues to anticipate their needs. And it truly is such a joy when a guest tells me they’ve had a great experience, so it really drives me to keep maintaining that positivity throughout every shift I work.”
4. How do you prioritize tasks and ensure you meet all guest and team needs effectively? Meeting guest expectations is imperative, but that doesn’t mean you can ignore the needs of your team, especially when the restaurant is busy. All staff members have side work that they should attend to during, before, and after their shift to ensure operations run as smoothly as possible. How your candidate answers this question will demonstrate their ability to juggle tasks of conflicting but similar importance.
An example of a good answer: “I would start by addressing the tasks that are the highest priority. Which ensures that guests are happy. I keep a running checklist of the things I need to get done throughout the shift in my book so that I ensure I address all the tasks that are required of me. And then, there are always ways to help during a shift. If the drinks station needs attention, for example, and the person responsible for that is busy, I will help make sure it’s taken care of. Teamwork and communication are essential to maintaining a smooth shift and a positive work environment.”
5. What would you do if you witnessed a teammate providing subpar service? Everyone has off days, so it’s essential that your teammates approach one another with empathy while still making sure guests are taken care of. Therefore, candidates should talk about how they’d approach their teammates and how they would help remediate the situation helpfully and constructively.
An example of a good answer: “I would make sure to properly assess the situation before jumping to any conclusions, and if it’s necessary I would offer my support and guidance without embarrassing my teammate. After the situation is taken care of, I would privately speak with my colleague to provide constructive and helpful feedback to make sure the situation doesn’t happen again.”
6. Tell me about your best dining experience at a restaurant. What made it so special? This answer will require them to think like guests. Reframing their perspective to that of someone experiencing dining at a great restaurant will give them a sense of respect and really put them in their shoes. A good candidate’s answer will exemplify what hospitality means to them and how they plan to treat their guests without explicitly saying so.
An example of a good answer: “I went to dinner at a small family-owned restaurant. As soon as I walked through the door, the staff, the ambiance, and the genuine warmth of everyone inside made me feel so at home. All of my questions were answered, they checked on me regularly, and I could sense the staff were passionate. There was so much attention to detail, and the little touches made it feel extremely personal.”
7. How would you handle a situation where a guest receives the wrong order? This question can demonstrate your candidate’s ability to handle a high-stress situation and remediate it before it ends poorly. The true markers of hospitality are showing a deep sense of care, going the extra mile, resolving problems, and attentive listening. Each of these skills is required to turn a bad circumstance like this around.
An example of a good answer: “I would start by sincerely apologizing and acknowledging the inconvenience caused. I would then let the kitchen staff and manager know so that the replacement order is prepared promptly and with extra attention. I would make sure to inform the guest on how long the new order will take, and offer them a complimentary beverage or a discount on their meal so that they know that making the situation right is my top priority. Lastly, I would have my manager take the meal to them, following close behind to make sure they were fully satisfied.”
The heart of hospitality We put together these questions to elicit responses and stimulate conversations that offer deeper insights into a candidate's suitability for a role in hospitality. Each response allows restaurant managers to build a more complete picture of potential hires who won’t just fill a vacancy but truly enrich the dining experience and contribute to a culture of exceptional service.
Service excellence is not just appreciated but expected, and it can drastically improve the guest experience and significantly increase restaurant sales . That’s why tapping into what makes a hospitality worker effective is vital.
By asking the right questions, you can uncover the candidates who will truly embody the spirit of your establishment, ensuring that every guest leaves with a desire to return.
Want to explore how voice AI helps restaurants provide world-class guest experiences? Book a quick 10-minute demo to learn more about Slang AI.
