Have you recently thought about becoming an Assistant Restaurant Manager? If so, you’ve made an excellent choice. It’s a rewarding career with plenty of advantages and room for advancement.
Before you start working though, you’ll need to do great in your interview.
Here are some popular (and quite common) Assistant Restaurant Manager interview questions you can expect during your interview. We’ve also included sample answers so you get an idea of what the hiring manager wants to hear.
These questions could also help you if you’re a hiring manager or an establishment owner looking for your next Assistant Restaurant Manager. If you’re struggling to come up with questions, this guide includes plenty of examples.
Assistant Restaurant Manager Interview Questions Regarding Skills and Experience
This first category includes questions most hiring managers ask to assess your skills and previous experience in the hospitality industry.
As the Assistant Restaurant Manager, here’s what you can expect in terms of duties and responsibilities.
You can expect these questions (or variations of them) in most Assistant Restaurant Manager interviews.
Tell me about your experience in the restaurant industry.
Example answer: “In my last job I was a Shift Supervisor for three years. In that role, I delegated tasks, resolved conflicts between employees, trained new staff and monitored restaurant inventory needs. Before that, I worked as a Host/Hostess. Some of my responsibilities included managing reservations, greeting customers, seating guests and answering phone calls to make reservations.”
Why do you think you’re the best candidate for this role?
Example answer: “I have what it takes to succeed as an Assistant Restaurant Manager because I’m very organized and I’m great with people. I also don’t mind a fast-paced environment such as a restaurant given that I’ve worked in similar settings in my previous jobs.”
Do you know how to hire and train new staff?
Example answer: “Yes. I have hired and trained eight new staff members in my previous role as a Shift Supervisor. I onboarded them and familiarized them with their new environment, which helped them perform well in their respective roles.”
What are some of the biggest challenges for an Assistant Restaurant Manager?
Example answer: “Overseeing the restaurant’s daily operations is the Assistant Restaurant Manager’s primary job. That includes opening and closing the restaurant, preparing shift schedules and assigning tasks to staff members. It also includes situational tasks such as answering customer questions, training new staff members and resolving internal conflicts between employees. That said, an Assistant Restaurant Manager’s main challenges are being able to work well under pressure and knowing how to manage people effectively.”
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Example answer: “As a Shift Supervisor, I managed a team of 10 employees, ensuring we met daily operational goals and weekly KPIs. On average, we saw a 3% increase in sales on a weekly basis. I am most proud of this accomplishment because it was also my first time in a supervisory role.”
Are you good in stressful situations?
Example answer: “Yes, I am excellent at handling stressful situations. I believe this comes down to the fact that I like to prioritize tasks and keep a tight schedule. To ensure that my team meets deadlines, I communicate with them openly and tell them what needs to be done and when.”
Are you familiar with health and safety regulations?
Example answer: “Yes, I am. In my role as Shift Supervisor, one of my responsibilities was making sure that all health and safety regulations were followed by each team member.”
How would you maintain cleanliness in the restaurant?
Example answer: “We’re dealing with food and customers, so cleanliness is a priority for me. To ensure cleanliness, I would provide daily cleaning checklists for the staff to follow. I would also conduct regular inspections – sometimes several times a day – for consistency.”
Technical Questions Asked in an Assistant Restaurant Manager Interview
For the technical portion of your interview, you might need to answer specific questions about what software you’re familiar with or if you have any experience with marketing.
Are you familiar with any inventory management software?
Example answer: “Yes, I know how to use SimpleOrder. We used that in my previous company. However, all of the inventory programs are similar, so I believe I can easily learn and get used to any of them.”
Are you familiar with POS systems?
Example answer: “Yes, I am familiar with Toast. My previous company used Toast exclusively. However, I’m familiar with how Square works and I think I could transition to it if needed.”
How do you handle supply chain disruptions?
Example answer: “I like to develop a close working relationship with the suppliers. If I know them well, I can always contact them for any issues. I also like to be prepared for disruptions in advance. Stockpiling items we use the most means we won’t run out even if there’s a delay in supply deliveries.”
Have you ever analyzed sales data before? If yes, how did you use it?
Example answer: “Absolutely. I have analyzed sales trends before to see which dishes were most popular with customers. We then dropped dishes that weren’t performing and promoted our best-selling ones.”
Problem-Solving Questions Asked in an Assistant Restaurant Manager Interview
These questions are designed to see if you can think critically. An Assistant Restaurant Manager has to answer customer questions and resolve conflicts among team members, so it’s crucial that they’re quick-thinking and able to address issues quickly.
How do you deal with conflict? Provide an example.
Example answer: “I make sure to listen to all sides so I have all the information I need to come up with a solution.
In my previous job, there was an internal conflict between several staff members. The night shift staff forgot to order new inventory, thinking it was the morning crew’s duty to do so, and vice versa.
This caused a bit of an argument which I quickly resolved by creating a weekly schedule of who should order inventory on each given day. To ensure we never experience a similar situation again, I heard both sides and explained that instead of “pointing fingers” next time, the immediate action should be correcting the issue itself.
How do you deal with customer complaints?
Example answer: “First, I listen to their complaint and thank them for bringing the matter to my attention.
Then, I apologize and try to find a solution that they’ll be happy with while still sticking to our establishment’s policies.
After that, I log the complaint so our team will know what went wrong and how we can prevent a similar complaint from happening next time.”
How would you handle an employee who consistently underperforms?
Example answer: “I would sit down with them and hear them out. I’d like to see what issues they’re dealing with and how I could assist them.
Based on this, we’d create a set of goals and rules for them to follow. I would then follow up regularly until they are back on track.”
How To Prepare for an Assistant Restaurant Manager Interview
We want to see you succeed, so here are some useful tips that can help you (hopefully) land your next job.
Understand the role
Find out what a typical day in the life of an Assistant Restaurant Manager looks like. Restaurants are fast-paced, so when they ask you (and they will) how you handle tasks under pressure, be ready.
Review common interview questions
Go over the questions above one more time and consider issues such as how to deal with staff conflicts or track inventory. Then, use your own previous experiences to come up with answers and provide enough context to the interviewer.
Ask questions as well
At the end of the interview, don’t be afraid to ask questions related to the team or the shifts. This will show your interviewer that you’re thinking about how you’ll manage with the rest of the team and how you’ll fit in the role itself.
Here are some questions you can ask during your Assistant Restaurant Manager interview:
- What can you tell me about the team I’ll be working with?
- Is the work culture positive?
- What is the software you use for inventory management and POS?
- How many customers do you get on an average Friday/Saturday night?
If you feel like you’re ready to apply, here are some Assistant Restaurant Manager jobs for you.
Interview Tips for Employers Looking for an Assistant Restaurant Manager
See how the candidate you’re interviewing is behaving.
Are they confident or maybe shy? Are they vocal or quiet? The Assistant Restaurant Manager will be dealing with customers (greeting them and taking feedback), so they have to have great interpersonal skills.
Ask questions that would test the candidate’s problem-solving skills, too. These could be questions about how they deal with conflict between members or how they handle customer complaints. This way, you can see if the candidate has critical thinking or they will crack under pressure.
Since salary is important to any potential applicant, ask what they expect in terms of wages. Make sure to check the average Assistant Restaurant Manager salary in various areas within the U.S.
If possible, you want to check references to verify a candidate’s past performance. For example, you can contact a few previous employers and see what they have to say about the candidate.
If you want an Assistant Restaurant Manager who can also help out with marketing and branding, ask questions related to that. A great question to ask would be how they would attract more customers. Examples would include visit cards or maybe even weekly meal specials.
Lastly, if you need help writing an Assistant Restaurant Manager job description, we have a whole page dedicated to that (even includes a template).
