Hotels and restaurants have been the most successful business in the world to date. Each year, hundreds of new restaurants and cafes are being opened with due respect to its upsurging demand. And with its increasing demand, there is a lot of employable scopes that come up with its emergence.
Waiters and waitresses play a very major role in the smooth functioning of any cafe or restaurant. Since this article is specifically about waitresses, we know that this is going to be based on women-centric jobs. For this job, you need to complete an interview round with the hiring team and if you get selected, then you become the next waitresses for their restaurant.
How to answer Waitress interview questions?
So, you can find your answers and can refer to these article for any such relevant material related to a Waitress job. Here are the sample question and answer list:
1. Why do you work here as a Waitress?
Answer. I love the cuisine that this restaurant specialises in. That is Mexican cuisine and I love every part of it. Hence, I would like to serve my customers with such a dish that I have a passion for and enough idea to inform them about the same.
2. Mention you strengths?
Answer. This is the perfect time to showcase your skills. However, the interviewer is only interested in the job-related skills that you have applied for. Specify them about your key skills such as good communicator, leadership skills, problem-solving attitude, keenness to know, works well under pressure, first mover and so on. But make sure that you do illustrate your skill with an example of any situation that you might have faced and used these skills to execute it.
3. Are you comfortable working in a team?
Answer. In this question, no matter what your intuition says to you, you should firmly answer that you are an excellent worker when in teams because otherwise, you cannot think of working in any organisation all by yourself. You can describe to them that what kind of a role are you best suited to work in a team and you can also mention some specific skills such as a motivator or leadership. Be ready with relevant illustration o whatever answer you put forward.
4. What do you think of this Restaurant?
Answer. You got to do some homework for this question. If you are prepared for this question beforehand, then you might have a chance to stand out from the crowd. Search them over the news on Google and have a clear idea of what the organisation is all about. It is not possible to remember all the dates and individuals by heart but at least you should be able to give an overview of the entire organisation.
5. Did you ever break a rule to accomplish a target?
Answer. Be alert when you are asked this type of question. You are expected to abide by all the rules and regulations of the company and not ever break them irrespective of whatever the situation may be. The employer wants to test your ethical behaviour and wants to know if you would be ethical enough to abide by the company’s policies.
6. Can you recall any incidents of challenges you overcame?
Answer. During my previous job, it was the first day of Durga Puja and I had to work on that day. It was a very busy day and most of the employees were on leave so I had to take charge of three parties that were going on and it was tough to manage. I was co-operating with another waitress and we teamed up to work for the larger families together so that they were served in no time. I had to be very quick with the orders because there were customers who were continuously placing their order and we tried to serve them without any delay. But, the customer review was very positive with the service which is all that we want at the end of the day.
7. What kind of qualities do you find desirable in your team-mate to work with?
Answer. This is a trick question because we all know that the organisation does not care about whom we like and who gives us our comfort zones, rather you are expected to come out of your comfort and work with the team you have been allotted to. You might remember a list of personalities you don’t like to work with, but it would be foolish of you to utter those. Instead, say that you get along with your colleagues very easily and is quite cooperative.
8. Cite any accomplishment or disappointment of your past?
Answer. When you are asked about your disappointments, state a situation that was not under your control. Show them that how to stayed positive throughout the situation and accepted it. Accomplishments are very easy to state and comes from within. Illustrate an example that played quite a major role in your career and for the company. Try specifying an accomplishment that is relevant to the job you have applied for and state how could you execute the situation and what were the outcomes.
9. Why did you resign from your last job?
Answer. This might look like a simple question to answer but it is not what it seems to be. Do not mistake my mentioning something about the money because that might put an impression that you are here for the money and not the job. If you are currently working for any other company, then honestly say that you were looking for a higher scope and wants to be a better version of yourself. Even if you were fired, be honest and cite whatever the circumstance was and remember to stay positive.
10. Is suggestive selling an act of unprofessional behaviour?
Answer. To be honest, I don’t think so. Suggestive selling is a more ethical one because it might remind the customer that they might be forgetting some complimentary item that is delicious to have with or to make them aware of some newer items that with serve them to their satisfaction. In this way, we will not only be boosting our revenue towards growth but also making the customers familiar with newer dishes which they might also suggest to their friends and relative if they like it.
11. Are you comfortable serving plates?
Answer. Yes, I can carry two plates at the same time. However, the size of the plates depends and in some cases I can even carry three plates from the kitchen to the restaurant.
12. How can you deal with rude customers?
Answer. Firstly, it is important to know the issue the customer is facing and then try to think of a solution that might help the situation. If not, then I will try and find my manager or a more senior person who can deal with it in a more experienced way.
13. Why do you think we should hire you?
Answer. I am quite experienced in this field and have worked for more than four restaurants before this. I would love to help any customer and serve them to their satisfaction. I also am very comfortable with my teammates and would love to know more about them and also learn about their way of work.
14. What are your salary expectation?
Answer. This is a very tricky question and can make or break the situation. Do not be impulsive and state any amount that you find is relevant enough to demand. Go through the company’s website and research their salary ranges. You can specify a salary range, you should be comfortable with the lowest range as well. However, if you think that you want a specific amount and is qualified enough for that with the company who would be able to provide such an amount, then you can go for it.
15. Cite a situation when you made a mistake in serving a customer?
Answer. There was a situation in my previous to the previous organisation when I had taken an order and mistakenly wrote cold brew without cream instead of a with cream. As I was heading towards bringing the order, I realised that I made a mistake in the order and instantly apologised for so. But, thankfully the customer was polite enough to understand the situation and let go of it. I went to the chefs with the correct order now and they were making it to be served in another 10 mins. I served the platter and apologised again for the delay.
Download the list of questions in .PDF format, to practice with them later, or to use them on your interview template (if you want to crack Interview):
Conclusion
Here in this article, you will find a comprehensive idea of How can you get a job as a Waitress. We have got you covered with situations that you can be put to during the interview that you can refer to while you are framing your answers. Also, keep in mind all the necessities while answering the questions because otherwise, it might lead to disqualification of your selection if you do not answer accordingly because this job does not only require communication but requires to provide quality products.
Also, you can feel free to let us know, how helpful this content has been to your career and do not hesitate to give any suggestions or ask questions in case you are having any doubts regarding this topic. Please let us know in the comments down below.
I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️
Sandeep Bhandari is the founder of PrepMyCareer.com website.
I am a full-time professional blogger, a digital marketer, and a trainer. I love anything related to the Web, and I try to learn new technologies every day.
All the team management, content creation, and monetization tasks are handled by me. Together with the team at PrepMyCareer, the aim is to provide useful and engaging content to our readers.