What interview questions should I prepare for a Restaurant Duty Manager job interview?

Focus on behavioural questions about shift leadership, guest complaint resolution, and operational crisis management whilst testing calm decision-making under pressure. Include scenario-based questions covering service disruptions, staff shortages, and emergency responses.

Common misunderstanding: Generic questions test duty management skills.

Many managers use basic management questions instead of testing specific Duty Manager skills like shift leadership, guest recovery, and crisis management.

Let's say you are a duty manager interviewing candidates. Asking "How do you motivate teams?" won't reveal crisis leadership ability. Instead, ask "Describe how you managed a dinner service when the fire alarm went off and you had a full restaurant." This tests real emergency response skills that duty managers need daily.

Common misunderstanding: Supervision experience equals duty management skills.

Some managers think general supervision experience means someone can handle duty management, but Duty Managers need specific skills for shift control and emergency response.

Let's say you are a duty manager reviewing applications. A candidate supervised teams in retail, which sounds impressive. However, restaurant duty management requires unique skills: handling guest complaints during busy service, managing kitchen and front-of-house coordination, and responding to operational emergencies whilst maintaining service quality.

How do I create behavioural questions specific to a Restaurant Duty Manager job interview?

Target shift leadership experiences, guest recovery successes, and operational problem-solving situations whilst requiring specific examples of taking charge during service challenges. Structure questions to reveal natural leadership instincts and guest-first thinking.

Common misunderstanding: Leadership theory shows management ability.

Some managers focus on leadership knowledge instead of testing real shift control experiences and crisis management examples that show actual Duty Manager ability.

Let's say you are a duty manager conducting interviews. Asking "What makes a good leader?" reveals theory, not practice. Instead, ask "Tell me about a time you recovered a service situation when the kitchen fell behind and guests were complaining." Real examples show how candidates handle pressure and solve problems.

Common misunderstanding: Operational skills matter more than guest focus.

Some managers forget to test guest-first thinking, but Restaurant Duty Managers must prioritise guest experience even during operational challenges and emergency situations.

Let's say you are a duty manager assessing candidates. One has excellent operational skills but no guest recovery examples. This is concerning because duty managers need natural guest service instincts: calming upset customers, finding solutions quickly, and maintaining positive experiences even when things go wrong.

What scenario-based questions work best for assessing Restaurant Duty Manager candidates?

Use realistic service emergencies like equipment failures, fire alarms, or cash discrepancies whilst observing prioritisation and decision-making. Test their ability to balance safety, guest experience, and operational flow simultaneously.

Common misunderstanding: Simple scenarios test crisis response.

Some managers use simple hypothetical questions instead of realistic emergency scenarios that test how candidates actually respond to operational crises and service disruptions.

Let's say you are a duty manager testing crisis skills. Asking "How would you handle a difficult situation?" is too vague. Instead, use specific scenarios: "The till system crashes during peak dinner service, a guest is choking, and your head chef just burned themselves. What do you do first, second, and third?" Real emergencies test decision-making skills.

Common misunderstanding: Emergency scenarios stress candidates unfairly.

Some managers avoid realistic emergency testing thinking it is unfair, but Restaurant Duty Manager work involves real crises that require proper assessment of emergency response skills.

Let's say you are a duty manager worried about stressing candidates with emergency scenarios. However, duty management involves handling actual crises: equipment failures, staff injuries, guest incidents, and service disruptions. Testing crisis thinking through realistic scenarios shows genuine capability for the role.