17 Food and Beverage Manager Interview Questions and Answers

Food and beverage managers are responsible for overseeing all aspects of food and beverage service in their establishment. This includes ensuring that food and beverage service meets the company’s standards, ordering and inventory management, and training and supervising staff.

If you’re looking for a job in food and beverage management, you’ll likely need to go through a job interview. To help you prepare, we’ve gathered some common food and beverage manager interview questions and answers.

Are you familiar with the food and beverage industry?

Employers ask this question to see if you have experience working in the food and beverage industry. They want to make sure that you are familiar with their company’s products, services and overall goals. Before your interview, research the restaurant or hotel where you’re interviewing. Look at their menu, website and social media pages. Try to answer questions about what you’ve seen from personal experience.

Example: “I am very familiar with the food and beverage industry. I worked as a server for five years before moving into management. During my time as a server, I learned all of the different aspects of the business. I know how to interact with customers and handle any issues they may have. I also understand the importance of following health codes and serving quality food.”

What are some of your previous roles in the food and beverage industry?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your experience in the industry. They want to know what you’ve done and how it relates to their position. When answering, list out all of your previous roles that are relevant to the job. If you have a lot of experience, consider focusing on the most recent or important positions.

Example: “I started as a server at a local restaurant when I was 18 years old. After working there for two years, I moved up to bartender where I learned how to make many different drinks. From there, I became a bar manager where I oversaw multiple servers and bartenders. Eventually, I became a food and beverage director at a hotel where I managed both the food and drink services.”

How would you describe your management style?

This question can help the interviewer understand how you would interact with your team members and other employees. Your management style is a reflection of your personality, so it’s important to be honest about what type of manager you are.

Example: “I am an empathetic leader who values teamwork and collaboration. I believe that everyone has something valuable to contribute to the conversation, so I encourage my team members to share their ideas and opinions. I also like to give praise when someone does something well, which helps motivate them to continue performing at a high level.”

What is your experience with menu planning?

Food and beverage managers are responsible for creating menus that appeal to customers. They also need to ensure the restaurant has enough food and drink to meet customer demand. Your answer should show the interviewer you have experience with menu planning and can create a successful menu.

Example: “I’ve worked in several restaurants where I was responsible for creating the weekly specials. In my last position, I created the daily specials based on what ingredients were available from local farmers. This helped us highlight seasonal produce while supporting our local economy. I also made sure we had plenty of vegetarian options and gluten-free dishes.”

Provide an example of a time when you had to resolve a conflict between two members of your staff.

As a food and beverage manager, you may need to resolve conflicts between your staff members from time to time. Employers ask this question to see how you would handle such situations in their establishment. In your answer, explain the steps you took to solve the conflict and what the outcome was.

Example: “When I worked at my previous restaurant, two of my servers had an argument over who got to take care of a large party that came into the restaurant. The situation escalated when one server started yelling at the other. I asked both servers to come into my office so we could discuss the issue. I learned that they were both equally qualified to serve the group. To solve the problem, I decided to have them alternate taking care of the table every night.”

If hired, what would be your priorities as a food and beverage manager?

This question helps employers understand what you value as a manager and how you would approach your job responsibilities. When answering this question, it can be helpful to list the most important aspects of food and beverage management that you have experience with.

Example: “My top priorities as a food and beverage manager would be customer service and satisfaction. I believe that providing excellent service is one of the best ways to ensure customers keep coming back to our restaurant. Another priority for me would be ensuring my staff has everything they need to provide great service to customers. For example, if there are any training opportunities or new equipment that could help them do their jobs better, I want to make sure we’re offering those things.”

What would you do if an event such as a wedding reception or corporate event ran out of one of the items on the menu?

This question can help interviewers understand how you handle stressful situations and make decisions. In your answer, try to show that you are a problem solver who is willing to take action when needed.

Example: “If an event ran out of one of the items on the menu, I would first ask my team members if they have any ideas for replacing it or making something similar. If we still couldn’t find anything, I would contact the client to let them know what happened and offer them a discount on their bill as compensation. This way, the customer doesn’t feel like they’re missing out on anything and we don’t lose business.”

How well do you handle stress?

Working as a food and beverage manager can be stressful. Employers ask this question to make sure you have the skills needed to handle stress in the workplace. In your answer, share how you manage stress. Explain that you are able to stay calm under pressure. Share an example of a time when you were stressed but still managed to perform well.

Example: “I am very good at managing stress. I know that working in this industry is going to involve some stress. However, I always try to remain calm and focused on my tasks. When I was working as a server, I had a table of six people who were all upset with their meals. They wanted new meals instead of getting refunds. I took deep breaths and remained calm while I explained the situation to them. I got their meals fixed quickly so they could enjoy their night out.”

Do you have any questions for us about the food and beverage manager position?

Employers ask this question to see if you have any questions about the position and how it would fit into their company. Use your answer as an opportunity to show that you are interested in the role, curious about what the job entails and eager to learn more about the company culture.

Example: “I am very excited about this food and beverage manager position because I think my experience working with a variety of customers makes me a great candidate for the role. I also want to know more about the training program you offer new managers. I’ve heard that some companies provide mentorships or formalized training programs, and I’m curious to hear more about yours.”

When planning menus, what factors do you consider?

The interviewer may ask this question to learn more about your menu planning process. Use your answer to highlight your creativity and attention to detail when creating menus that are both appealing and profitable for the restaurant.

Example: “I always start by looking at what’s in season, as I find it’s best to use fresh ingredients whenever possible. Next, I consider how popular certain dishes have been in the past and whether there are any new or unique items I can add to the menu. Finally, I look at which meals are most profitable so I can ensure we’re offering a variety of options that guests will want to order.”

We want to improve our customer service and increase sales. Tell me about a strategy you would use to achieve these goals.

The interviewer may ask you this question to learn more about your customer service skills and how you would improve the quality of their establishment. Use examples from previous experience where you helped increase sales or improved customer satisfaction.

Example: “I believe that providing excellent customer service is one of the best ways to ensure repeat customers. In my last role, I noticed we were losing a lot of business because our wait times were too long. To solve this problem, I hired two additional servers to help with peak hours. This allowed us to reduce wait times by 30 minutes and increased sales by 10%.”

Describe your experience with inventory management.

Food and beverage managers need to be able to keep track of inventory, including food, beverages and supplies. This question helps employers understand your experience with managing inventory and how you might use that experience in their establishment. In your answer, explain what methods you used to manage inventory and the challenges you faced while doing so.

Example: “In my previous position as a food and beverage manager at a hotel, I had to manage several different types of inventory, including food, drinks and supplies. Keeping track of all these items was challenging, but I developed an effective system for tracking everything. I created a spreadsheet where I could enter information about each item, such as its location and when it needed to be restocked. Then, I set up alerts on my phone so I would know when certain items were running low.”

What makes you stand out from other candidates for this job?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your qualifications and how you can contribute to their team. When answering, it’s important to highlight your skills that are relevant to the job description. You may also want to mention any personal qualities or experiences that make you a good fit for the role.

Example: “I have five years of experience as a food and beverage manager, which makes me an excellent candidate for this position. I am confident in my ability to lead a large team and ensure they’re all working together effectively. In addition, I’m passionate about customer service and committed to providing quality food and drinks to customers.”

Which food and beverage management software programs are you familiar with using?

The interviewer may ask this question to determine your level of experience with various software programs. If you have previous experience using food and beverage management software, describe the program in detail and explain how it helped you complete your job duties. If you don’t have any prior experience with these types of programs, you can still answer honestly by describing a different type of software that you’re familiar with.

Example: “I’ve used several different food and beverage management software programs during my career as a food and beverage manager. I’m most comfortable using POS systems like Vendini and Square because they allow me to track sales and inventory levels while also providing customer service support through online chat features.”

What do you think is the most important skill for a food and beverage manager to have?

This question can help the interviewer determine if you have the skills and abilities they’re looking for in a food and beverage manager. Use your answer to highlight one or two of your strongest skills, such as communication, organization or leadership.

Example: “I think that the most important skill for a food and beverage manager is customer service. A good manager needs to be able to provide excellent service to their customers while also managing their staff. I’ve always been passionate about providing great customer service, so this has helped me become an effective food and beverage manager.”

How often do you update the menu for your restaurant or hotel?

The interviewer may ask you this question to learn more about your creativity and problem-solving skills. Your answer should show that you are able to make decisions based on customer feedback, cost factors and other important information.

Example: “I update the menu at least once a month. I usually do it after we get new deliveries of fresh produce or meat. This way, I can take advantage of seasonal ingredients and ensure that my customers have plenty of variety. If there is something they don’t like, I can remove it from the menu before it becomes a problem. For example, last month, one of our guests told me that she didn’t like the chicken dish we had on the menu. We took it off the menu immediately so no one else would order it.”

There is a new food trend that you aren’t sure would work well with your current menu. How would you decide whether or not to add the new items?

This question is a great way to see how you would react to new trends in the food and beverage industry. It also shows your ability to make decisions based on facts rather than opinions. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention that you have experience with implementing new menu items or changes to existing ones.

Example: “I think I would first look at what other restaurants are doing with the trend. If many of them are already using the item, then I would consider adding it to my own menu. However, if most restaurants aren’t using the item, then I would probably pass on it since we wouldn’t want to take away from our current menu.”