Hiring Employees For Cafes and Restaurants - Three Key Questions


Employers in cafes and restaurants have to address service, safety and security issues in an environment where there is high potential for theft. Therefore, it is important to ask situational based questions to prospective employees that will determine how they will perform in emergencies.

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I owned a European-style gourmet cafe and catering business for many years, where service levels, and safety and security considerations were extremely important to me.

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I had a steady stream of job applicants, some with prior experience, and some without. It was important to me to learn how candidates would perform in emergency situations, because I knew that everything else could be learned from routine procedures.

The interview began with me asking the candidate to give a one minute overview of themselves, so to become comfortable talking. Then the interview would really start. The candidates came prepared for questions about their prior jobs. They were somewhat surprised that I asked three questions about the future only, and not the past.


Question 1:

"The cafe is moderately busy on the inside and you are behind the cash register. All of a sudden, one of the customers collapses. What would you do?"


The essence of this question is to determine how the candidate would handle a medical emergency. I would expect them to:

  • Examine the seriousness of the situation immediately, and call for medical assistance if in doubt
  • Ask if there is a doctor on the premises or near by
  • Ask the customer what help they need if they are conscious
  • Provide bandages if the customer is wounded
  • Avoid moving the customer if they are unconscious
  • Ensure that others keep away from the scene so as to give the customer privacy
  • Understand the dangers of giving unqualified first-aid

Question 2:


"The cafe is moderately busy on the inside and you are behind the cash register. All of a sudden, you detect smoke. What would you do?"

The essence of this question is to determine how the candidate would handle a potential crisis, and apply quick judgment. If there is only a small amount of smoke, then I would expect them to determine if they can put the fire out right away. If there is a large amount of smoke, then I would expect them to evacuate the cafe immediately, and call the fire service. I would expect them to address:

  • The cause of the smoke, and the extent to which it is controllable or uncontrollable
  • Under what circumstances should the cafe be evacuated or not
  • When to call the fire service
  • How to use the fire extinguisher
  • How to take care of concerned customers


Question 3:

"The cafe is moderately busy on the inside and you are behind the cash register. All of a sudden, someone walks right up to you and asks for the money in the register. What would you do?"


If the candidate didn't answer with "give them the money," or something to that effect right away, then it didn't matter what their answers were to the first two questions. Also, it didn't matter how otherwise desirable they may be - they were not hired.

In some cases I was asked if the perpetrator had a gun or a knife, to which I told them that they wouldn't necessarily know. Asking that question automatically eliminated the candidate. I was concerned that in a live situation they would hesitate before acting, making the perpetrator nervous and unpredictable.

I passed on some otherwise good candidates who could not answer these questions to my satisfaction. However, when considering the liabilities of a restauranteur, safety and security are paramount - dead employees and customers are not good for business.

When hiring employees it is useful to understand their individual competencies and personal style characteristics, in addition to your own.

Nigel A.L. Brooks


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