How to Decide on Restaurant Duty Manager Interview Questions
Key Takeaways
- Step 1: Define What You're Looking For – Prioritise calm shift leadership, guest complaint handling, and operational control; clarify essential versus beneficial responsibilities. Check out our guide about Restaurant Duty Manager job descriptions
- Step 2: Plan the Interview Structure – Adapt based on venue complexity: simple for junior roles, full with leadership deep dive, extended with case studies for senior positions
- Step 3: Use Behavioural and Scenario-Based Questions – Ask for real examples of guest recovery and team management; test judgment under pressure scenarios
- Step 4: Observe How They Lead Under Pressure – Watch for calm thinking, guest-first mindset, clear prioritisation, and supportive leadership tone
- Step 5: Evaluate Using a Scorecard – Weight shift leadership and incident management (40%), operational problem-solving (30%), and guest service focus (30%)
- What's next: Check out our guide on Restaurant Duty Manager onboarding plans
Article Content
Step 1. Define What You're Looking For
Before you start interviewing, get clear on the leadership, guest service, and operational management skills your Duty Manager needs. Use the table below to prioritise what’s essential versus nice-to-have:
Attribute | Must-Have | Nice-to-Have |
---|---|---|
Calm, decisive leadership during service | ✅ | |
Guest complaint resolution and recovery skills | ✅ | |
Cash handling, end-of-day reporting experience | ✅ | |
Basic knowledge of licensing, health & safety rules | ✅ |
Step 2. Plan the Interview Structure
Duty Manager interviews should focus on leadership under pressure, service protection, fast operational decision-making, and basic financial control.
Simple Structure (Good for Smaller Restaurants or Junior Duty Managers)
- •Short Interview (20–30 minutes): Focus on shift leadership, guest experience handling, and basic incident response.
- •Scenario-Based Questions (10–15 minutes): Cover guest complaints, shift management, and emergency handling examples.
When to use it: Small to mid-size venues where the Duty Manager mainly oversees service and staff during peak hours.
Full Interview Structure (Recommended for Most Hires)
- •Welcome and Icebreaker (5 minutes): Set natural tone and observe communication style.
- •Formal Leadership Interview (30 minutes): Dig into service protection leadership, guest recovery strategies, and operational problem-solving.
- •Scenario-Based Situational Questions (20 minutes): Focus on service incidents, health & safety issues, cash handling errors.
- •Optional Pre-Prepared Task (10–15 minutes): Review a short incident report writing task or shift handover notes.
- •Debrief and Candidate Questions (10 minutes): Understand their leadership instincts and career goals.
When to use it: High-volume restaurants, hotels, multi-outlet operations needing strong Duty Managers every shift.
Optional: Set a Pre-Interview Task
Setting a small task before the interview can help you check for practical operational thinking and communication clarity. Good examples:
- •"Write a short incident report after a guest slips and falls during a busy service."
- •"Outline a checklist for shift handover between Duty Managers."
Tip: Keep tasks practical and service-focused — you want to check thinking, not formal writing ability.
Extended Structure (For Senior or Multi-Site Duty Managers)
- •Pre-Interview Task (Required): Case study around multi-site issues or major service disruption handling.
- •Full Interview (45–60 minutes): Focus on leadership resilience, safety and security handling, revenue protection, and staff welfare management.
- •Optional Team Interaction: Allow informal introduction to staff if relevant to observe natural leadership fit.
When to use it: Large restaurants, hotels, or Duty Managers who cover multiple sites or critical operational responsibilities.
Step 3. Create Leadership and Scenario-Based Questions for Duty Managers
Duty Managers must show calm leadership, service protection instincts, operational judgment, and guest focus under pressure. Structure your questions carefully:
- •Behavioural Questions: Real examples of service leadership and guest recovery.
- •Scenario-Based Questions: Test logical thinking under time pressure and realistic incidents.
How to Build Behavioural Questions:
- •Focus on shift leadership, incident handling, complaint recovery, and operational resilience.
- •Push for real examples where they personally led or solved a service issue.
How to Build Scenario-Based Questions:
- •Focus on live service breakdowns, staff no-shows, guest incidents, and cash discrepancies.
- •Observe decision-making order: safety first, guest experience next, operational fix after.
Example Behavioural Questions:
- •"Tell me about a time you handled a serious guest complaint — what did you do, and what was the result?"
- •"Describe a situation where you had to take charge during an unexpected staff shortage or incident."
- •"Give an example of how you managed a shift when technical systems failed (e.g., tills, booking system, or card machines)."
Example Scenario-Based Questions:
- •"Imagine a fire alarm goes off during dinner service — walk me through your immediate actions."
- •"Halfway through a busy shift, you realise the end-of-day cash isn’t balancing. What would you do?"
- •"A guest claims they had allergic symptoms after eating — how would you handle the situation?"
Tip**:** Push candidates for real-world detail — you’re hiring them to make quick, practical decisions that protect people, service, and your brand.
Step 4. Manage the Interview to Test Operational Leadership Instincts
Duty Managers are judged by how they react under pressure. Use the interview itself to observe their natural decision-making instincts.
Key Things to Watch During the Interview:
- •Calm under hypothetical pressure: Do they stay logical during scenarios?
- •Guest-first thinking: Do they mention protecting guest experience at every stage?
- •Prioritisation skills: Can they calmly balance safety, guest needs, and operational flow?
- •Team leadership tone: Do they talk about supporting staff, not blaming them?
How to Run the Interview for Maximum Insight:
- •Start with easy behavioural questions to open up their communication style.
- •Drop realistic service emergencies or dilemmas into the flow.
- •Watch how they structure their responses and prioritise actions.
Red Flags to Watch For:
- •Panic or indecision under simple scenario pressure.
- •Blaming language ("The kitchen always messes up...")
- •Ignoring guest impact during operational problem-solving.
- •Rigid thinking without real flexibility for live service dynamics.
Step 5. Evaluate Fairly and Consistently
Use a weighted evaluation scorecard so you judge all candidates based on leadership, operational judgment, and guest service protection — not just interview confidence.
Example Evaluation Weights:
- •Shift Leadership and Incident Management – 40%
- •Operational Problem-Solving – 30%
- •Guest Service Focus – 30%
Simple Interview Scorecard
Criteria | Score (1–5) | Weight | Weighted Score |
---|---|---|---|
Shift Leadership and Incident Management | 4 | × 0.4 | 1.6 |
Operational Problem-Solving | 3 | × 0.3 | 0.9 |
Guest Service Focus | 5 | × 0.3 | 1.5 |
After scoring, take a moment to reflect:
- •Would you feel confident handing over the floor to them on a busy shift?
- •Would they protect guest experience even during tough moments?
- •Would they support the team and build trust on the floor?
Hiring strong Duty Managers protects your standards, strengthens your team, and keeps guests coming back — even when the unexpected happens.
Onboarding Your New Restaurant Duty Manager
Once you've selected your Restaurant Duty Manager, proper onboarding is essential for their success. Check out our comprehensive guide on Restaurant Duty Manager onboarding to ensure your new hire integrates smoothly and starts delivering exceptional shift leadership from day one.
Frequently asked questions
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- 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.
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- How should I structure a Restaurant Duty Manager job interview?
- Use a full interview structure with leadership assessment, scenario-based questioning, and optional practical tasks whilst focusing on shift control and guest recovery.
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- What practical trial should I use for a Restaurant Duty Manager job interview?
- Implement shift observation trials with simulated operational challenges and guest complaint scenarios whilst testing real-time decision-making and team leadership.
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- How should I score a Restaurant Duty Manager job interview?
- Use weighted scoring with shift leadership and incident management (40%), operational problem-solving (30%), and guest service focus (30%) whilst ensuring consistent evaluation across candidates.
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- How do I assess essential skills during a Restaurant Duty Manager job interview?
- Focus on shift leadership capabilities, operational crisis management, and guest complaint resolution whilst testing calm decision-making under pressure.
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- How should I evaluate experience in a Restaurant Duty Manager job interview?
- Focus on shift leadership examples, operational crisis management history, and guest complaint resolution achievements whilst requiring specific scenarios demonstrating authority and control.
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- How do I assess cultural fit during a Restaurant Duty Manager job interview?
- Evaluate leadership style alignment with your operational culture, guest service philosophy, and team management approach whilst testing adaptability to your venue's standards.
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- What red flags should I watch for in a Restaurant Duty Manager job interview?
- Watch for panic under scenario pressure, blame-focused language about previous teams, and disregard for guest impact during problem-solving whilst identifying inflexibility and poor prioritisation skills.
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- How should I conduct reference checks for a Restaurant Duty Manager candidate?
- Focus on shift leadership performance, crisis management examples, and guest complaint resolution outcomes whilst verifying operational responsibilities and team management effectiveness.
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- Should I use multiple interview rounds for a Restaurant Duty Manager position?
- Use multi-stage processes for senior or complex duty manager roles whilst implementing phone screening, formal interview, and practical trial progression.
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- How do I assess how a Restaurant Duty Manager candidate will work with my existing team?
- Observe their interaction style with current staff, communication approach, and leadership presence whilst testing their ability to motivate and coordinate diverse team members.
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- How should I evaluate communication skills in a Restaurant Duty Manager job interview?
- Test clarity during crisis scenarios, professional tone with challenging situations, and ability to de-escalate guest complaints whilst observing leadership communication with team members.
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- How do I assess problem-solving abilities during a Restaurant Duty Manager job interview?
- Use realistic operational scenarios requiring immediate decisions, systematic thinking, and resource prioritisation whilst observing their approach to safety, guest impact, and team coordination.
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- How do I evaluate Restaurant Duty Manager candidate motivation during interviews?
- Assess genuine interest in shift leadership, career progression towards management roles, and commitment to guest service excellence whilst exploring their drive for operational improvement.
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- How should I discuss availability during a Restaurant Duty Manager job interview?
- Address shift patterns, weekend and evening coverage, and emergency availability whilst clarifying holiday periods and notice requirements.
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- When should I discuss salary during a Restaurant Duty Manager job interview?
- Address compensation after assessing competency and cultural fit, typically in final interview stages or upon conditional offer whilst ensuring mutual interest first.
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- What legal requirements must I consider during Restaurant Duty Manager job interviews?
- Comply with equality legislation, avoid discriminatory questioning, and ensure fair assessment based on job-relevant criteria whilst maintaining consistent interview processes.
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- How should I set up the interview environment for a Restaurant Duty Manager position?
- Create professional settings reflecting operational reality, include restaurant floor observations, and ensure comfortable discussion areas whilst maintaining realistic operational context.
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- How should I handle Restaurant Duty Manager candidate questions during interviews?
- Encourage operational questions about shift patterns, team dynamics, and management responsibilities whilst providing honest answers about challenges and opportunities.
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- How do I make the final decision after Restaurant Duty Manager job interviews?
- Use weighted scoring combining shift leadership assessment, operational competency, and cultural fit whilst considering long-term potential and team dynamics.
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- How do I avoid bias during Restaurant Duty Manager job interviews?
- Use structured interview formats, standardised assessment criteria, and multiple evaluators whilst focusing on job-relevant competencies and documented examples.
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- Should I use technology during Restaurant Duty Manager job interviews?
- Use technology for initial screening and scheduling whilst prioritising hands-on leadership demonstration over digital assessment.
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- How do I test Restaurant Duty Manager industry knowledge during interviews?
- Assess licensing compliance understanding, health and safety regulations, and operational standards knowledge whilst focusing on practical application over theoretical memorisation.
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- How do I prepare for Restaurant Duty Manager onboarding during the interview process?
- Discuss operational training timeline, shift leadership development, and team integration plans whilst explaining venue procedures and management expectations.
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- How should I follow up after Restaurant Duty Manager job interviews?
- Communicate decisions promptly, provide clear timeline updates, and maintain professional contact whilst respecting candidate time investment.
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