Test clarity during crisis scenarios, professional tone with challenging situations, and ability to de-escalate guest complaints whilst observing leadership communication with team members. Evaluate written communication through incident reports and shift handover documentation.
Common misunderstanding: Testing conversation skills instead of crisis communication.
General chat tells you nothing about handling emergencies or difficult guests. You need to test how candidates communicate during stressful situations when clear instructions and calm authority matter most.
Let's say you are a duty manager facing a kitchen fire alarm during peak dinner service. The right candidate will demonstrate how they'd give clear, urgent instructions to staff whilst reassuring guests and coordinating with emergency services without panicking.
Common misunderstanding: Assuming friendly chat equals professional communication.
Being personable doesn't mean someone can direct teams effectively or handle serious guest complaints. Test their ability to give clear instructions, manage conflicts, and recover service failures professionally.
Let's say you are a duty manager dealing with an angry customer whose meal was completely wrong during a busy evening. Watch whether candidates can apologise sincerely, offer practical solutions, and communicate next steps clearly whilst maintaining their composure.
Focus on calm crisis communication, authoritative team direction, and empathetic guest recovery whilst requiring clear operational instruction delivery. Assess conflict resolution dialogue, professional presentation, and multi-level stakeholder communication.
Common misunderstanding: Prioritising personality over practical communication skills.
Charming personalities don't guarantee effective leadership communication. Focus on testing crisis management dialogue, clear team instructions, and professional guest recovery conversations that actually matter in restaurant operations.
Let's say you are a duty manager when your point-of-sale system crashes during lunch rush with a queue of frustrated customers. The ideal candidate will explain how they'd communicate with both staff and guests to manage the situation professionally.
Common misunderstanding: Ignoring conflict resolution and multi-level communication.
Duty managers must communicate with everyone from kitchen porters to head office managers. They also need strong conflict resolution skills to handle staff disagreements and guest complaints effectively.
Let's say you are a duty manager mediating between front-of-house staff who feel overwhelmed and kitchen staff who think servers are too demanding. The right candidate will show how they'd listen to both sides and find practical solutions.
Use guest complaint scenarios requiring immediate response, service recovery conversations, and difficult situation management whilst testing empathy, professionalism, and solution-focused dialogue. Observe natural guest interaction style and relationship building.
Common misunderstanding: Using hypothetical scenarios instead of realistic guest situations.
Asking "How would you handle a complaint?" in theory won't reveal actual service recovery skills. Use specific, realistic scenarios that test empathy, problem-solving, and professional communication under pressure.
Let's say you are a duty manager when a family celebration is ruined because their anniversary dinner was delayed by kitchen problems. Test whether candidates can genuinely empathise, take responsibility, and offer meaningful compensation whilst rebuilding trust.
Common misunderstanding: Not testing real customer service abilities with practical examples.
Customer service skills need practical testing through role-play scenarios. Look for natural empathy, solution-focused thinking, and the ability to turn negative experiences into positive outcomes through skilled communication.
Let's say you are a duty manager handling a guest who's extremely upset about food allergies not being properly communicated to the kitchen. The best candidates will show genuine concern, take immediate action, and follow up to ensure the guest feels valued and safe.