Being considered for an interview, no matter the outcome is encouraging and helps any job seeker put up a brave face despite the challenges they may be experiencing not having a regular income. Interviews can be draining, considering the competition you’ll be up against. This article shares 25 top Shake Shack interview questions and ideas on how to respond to help you leave a positive impression on your recruiters.
1. What Do You Know About Shake Shack?
With its headquarters in New York City, Shake Shack is an American fast casual eatery that started in 2001 as a roadside fast food stand in Madison Square Park. Three years later, it received licensing to open a kiosk within the vicinity where it grew its menu from hot dogs to include crinkle-cut fries, frozen custard, hamburgers, and milkshakes. The business is the brainchild of Danny Meyer and has been one of the fastest-growing food chain options, that became a public company in 2014. It has branches in Canada, Turkey, the Philippines, Mexico, South Korea, China, Japan, United Kingdom, among many other international locations.
2. How Does Shake Shack Differ From Others In The Industry?
Its humble beginnings and ultimate rise to becoming one of the fastest growing fast food chains make it stand tall above the rest. Known for its mouthwatering milkshake, Shake Shack is arguably one of the few fast food chains offering products free of hormones, and antibiotics, and are all-natural.
3. Why Do You Want To Join Shake Shack?
I see this opportunity as a way of contributing to an exciting, fast-moving industry and feel I can offer my skills to positively impact the company. I believe this is a great place to learn about the fast-food industry because your company offers healthy fresh snacks and exceptional customer service. I also notice that you support the cleanup of water sources, which resonates with my environmental goals. I have been an environmental volunteer who is passionate about seeing a cleaner, more habitable environment. Whenever I can, I always volunteer in community initiatives that focus on green energy.
4. In Your View, Which Section Of The Fast-Food Industry Is The Most Critical And Why?
Providing food quickly and efficiently is one of the key aspects of the fast food industry. Getting prompt service is the main reason why patrons choose to dine at a fast food joint. Customers desire mouthwatering food, but they also want it right away. That’s why it’s so critical to have a standardized kitchen with modern equipment that can promptly prepare food.
5. What Makes You An Excellent Choice For This Job Opening?
I would be a great fit for this role because I have a calm, friendly and professional demeanor. I also have vast experience working in a similar posting. My previous job as an assistant supervisor provided me with the precise skillset needed to thrive in this position. Furthermore, I will need little to no training, and I am available and ready to start immediately.
I have won the team member of the year title for two consecutive years for my exemplary customer care service. The achievement came as a surprise because my nomination was based on customer feedback and reviews left by patrons. I have also had the chance to train five other employees on etiquette and best customer care practices.
6. What Challenges Do You Anticipate Working In This Position?
I identify that this position consistently requires working through customer complaints and interacting with people with different temperaments daily. Though the job presents great networking opportunities, frequent interactions can lead to misunderstandings. I look forward to being part of the mediation because I have excellent problem-solving skills. I am also confident that my customer service capabilities will help me excel at work.
7. Working In A Fast-Moving Busy Enterprise Can Be Stressful And Demanding. What’s Your Approach To Coping With Pressure?
Surprisingly, I perform better working under pressure because it forces me to think on my feet. I also become creative as I have to create solutions in real time. For instance, in my last role as a waitress, a colleague called in sick at the last minute, making it difficult to get a replacement at such short notice. That day, we had a large rush for lunch because a visiting high school music drama team from out of town opted to have lunch at our establishment. Though it was a great business, I was the only person taking orders. Initially, I felt a bit anxious but decided to take the instructions section by section to avoid any mix-ups. I also focused on making sure everything was as the customers had requested. Surprisingly, it took me about half an hour to attend to everyone. There were no mix-ups or complaints about the waiting time as everyone enjoyed the soft background music as they waited for their meals.
8. From The Job Description, This Position Involves And Needs Critical Thinking, Among Other Skills. How Will You Handle The Heavy Multitasking Nature Of This Job?
I believe that early preparation is a great way to handle multiple roles and ensure efficiency while at it. Each week, I take time to organize myself in advance by preparing a checklist of all activities that need my attention. I integrate with my calendar by placing reminders to ensure I don’t forget or miss deadlines. I have found that collaborating with project management software is a great way of streamlining processes and ensuring effective communication between multiple departments.
Auditing projects to know which tasks I can handle help me delegate complex assignments that are unfamiliar to me. I can effectively organize shifts among teams but struggle to take orders. A comprehensive understanding of duties and responsibilities helps you prepare and be on top of processes, no matter the amount of work.
9. Please Share With Us A Time You Provided Exceptional Customer Care Service.
While working as a receptionist in a busy entertainment, a patron forgot their wallet, a bunch of keys, and valuable documents on my desk one busy weekend. I did not know them personally but suspected they probably would not return because they dropped these items accidentally. I tried catching up with that client, but they had long gone when I got to the parking lot. Fortunately, they had scribbled their name and a number I assumed was theirs on the envelope, which I used to contact them. A lady was so grateful to learn that her personal effects were safe with me. She could not come to collect them right away as she had to pick up her kids from school. I was about to close my shift, so I volunteered to take her things to her. On arriving, I noticed they had been locked out of their house with no spare keys. I was happy to be of help because there was no way she could have picked up her stuff and made it to her children’s school before time.
10. How Would You Handle Negative Online Reviews About Your Service?
As a digital marketing strategist, I’ve learned that reviews can make or break any business enterprise. Whether positive or negative, reviews give prospective clients an idea about your service without interacting with your brand. I give online reviews the seriousness they deserve by personally responding to each tweet, post, or comment on our products. As soon as I witness any negative review, I engage the complainant further to get the true picture of their issue. I then analyze the situation to determine its authenticity. From there, I take action, depending on the circumstances. I also make sure the customer feels heard. People feel validated whenever they’re listened to. I go out of my way to make customers feel valued by listening to them and empathizing with their situations.
11. What Strengths Do You Possess That Will Guarantee Your Success In This Role?
My long-term experience as a restaurant manager gives me vast inter-relational skills that help me address issues in real time. Some of the challenges in the food industry include delays in service delivery, a mix-up with orders, unmet expectations, and so on. My long-term experience solving industry-related challenges will help me deliver in this role.
12. How Does The Service Offered At Share Shack Differ From Other Similar Establishments?
Shake shack prides itself by specializing in doing one thing and doing it well. As a fast food outlet, the chain has a limited menu consisting of fries, burgers, hot dogs, milkshakes, and custard. Though the menu is lean, its amazing snacks and signature milkshake give it an edge above the rest.
13. Who Is The CEO Of Shake Shack?
Shake Shack’s current CEO is Randy Garutti, a committed and experienced professional who has led the company through significant expansion. Mr. Garutti has steered the company through significant expansion, growing the business to over 200 local and international locations. Currently available in 13 countries, Randy took Shake Shack through its IPO in 2015. Currently, he leads with enlightened hospitality and continues to concentrate on performance, excellence, profitability, and fostering Shake Shack as one of the world’s treasured brands.
14. Please Share With Us Your Previous Working Experience In A Fast-Food
Working with you would be my first experience in a fast food chain. However, my experience in hospitality has adequately equipped me to handle many responsibilities and grow my skills. While I don’t have any experience working in a fast food joint, I have a long-term professional experience in hotels and restaurants where I’ve been for the last three years. I started as an entry-level employee and with hard work and determination, I have risen through the ranks to the supervisory position I currently hold. It will be an honor to replicate my vast working experience in the position you are currently advertising in your fast-food chain.
15. Share Your Highlights Working In A Similar Position.
I have been an assistant manager at Kenchic Inc., where I handled various administrative roles. My duties included collaborating with my team to assemble research reports, analyze customer care strategies, gather study reports for investors, and integrate software applications to improve workflow. Towards the end of last year, I optimized our email filtering system to enhance inter-departmental communication and eliminate any breakdown of communication. I realize that your food chain relies heavily on email as a communication option, so I intend to utilize my organizational skills to achieve faster communication if given a chance to join your organization.
16. Working In The Food Industry Needs A Comprehensive Knowledge Of Common Food Allergies. Do You Know Of Any, And What Approach Would You Integrate To Ensure People Are Safe?
My experience as a food service expert has led to the conclusion that eggs, nuts, meat, soy, and dairy products are some common products that can cause allergic reactions. People have different tolerance levels and reactions to food varieties, so it is standard routine to inquire from customers and determine whether they have any adverse reactions to food. We use natural and organic spices and avoid any artificial additives for meal preparation.
17. What Is Your Favorite Part About Working In Food Service?
I love learning about recipes and experimenting with different ingredients to create mouthwatering meals. I can utilize my passion while doing something I enjoy and appreciate. The level of teamwork involved in this industry is highly rewarding.
18. What Strategy Do You Use To Remember Customer’s Multiple, Detailed, Or Lengthy Orders?
I always walk with a small notebook to quickly list customer orders. While a notebook is handy, I also integrate mnemonic devices, which I find very effective in supporting me to remember crucial information. Sometimes I associate a guest’s order with a word or phrase and try to visualize it. Either way, I try my best never to miss an order as I clear any distractions and focus on my work.
19. How Do You Remain Calm During Peak Business Working Hours?
My long-term experience in this industry helps me to anticipate challenges before they arise. One of the most effective ways of anticipating challenges is hiring casual staff to help cover peak hours. Maintaining teamwork efficiency is critical as a breakdown in communication, especially during peak hours, can have a long-term negative impact. Some of the skills that help me remain calm include problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical, and communication skills.
20. What’s Your Opinion About Working Over The Holidays?
I understand that I may be summoned once in a while to work during holidays as such days are peak business seasons within the food industry. Fortunately, I don’t mind working over the holidays since I am flexible and I can easily alter my schedule.
21. What Guidance Would You Give To An Intern That You Are Mentoring?
Having been an intern myself, I understand what requirements are ideal for anyone to succeed in this industry. A recruit must be eager to serve, exceed expectations and guarantee customer satisfaction.
22. How Would You Handle A Patron Who Is Unhappy With Their Order?
The first thing is to exercise active listening by allowing them to explain the problem in their own words. Taking time to empathize and validate their feelings will disarm the angriest customer. After calming them down, I will engage them in meaningful communication to find a solution. The problem could be a mix-up in their order, poorly prepared meals, and allergic reactions to certain ingredients. Whatever the issue may be, I take time to discuss it with them. I always respond to concerns from loyal customers because I also know some patrons are just stubborn spoilers. Some will complain just to create a scene and portray the business in a bad light. I always try to gauge a customer’s intent which is not always easy.
23. Do You Believe That A Customer Is Always Right? Is This Statement True Or False?
I agree that customers are always right because they determine whether there’s growth in a business or not. It is also why most successful businesses have vibrant customer care departments to address customer concerns. Only when customers are content will they draw in more opportunities for your business. They can be your brand ambassadors, market your products free of charge and recommend you to their friends and relatives.
24. Between Fast And Helpful Service, Which One Is More Important?
Customers feel valued when you take the time to listen to their problems and tailor-make a solution for them. A patron may walk into your premises, seething with rage over a mistake or an oversight. How you handle the situation will either calm them down or annoy them further. You may offer to help by sending them a technician to sort out a mechanical hitch or taking the time to explain a concept about the software you’ve integrated into their system. Our business’s main mission is to deliver a healthy snack within the shortest time possible. I think fast and helpful service for our case goes hand in hand, and the two theories perfectly complement each other.
25. In Your View, What Kind Of Customer Care Service Is Ideal For This Industry?
All businesses rely on a specific quality of service to their customers. For that, you must comprehensively understand customers’ needs and the solution to those needs. In customer service, you need to think from the customer’s point of view if you are to excel in it and meet customer expectations. Customer care is broad but should incorporate feedback and customer reviews to help you gauge performance where your clients are concerned.
Conclusion
If you desire to work in the food industry and are looking forward to getting an interview, you must prepare well in advance. Depending on the number of other applicants and the position you are applying for, anticipating an interview can make you less anxious and encourage you along the way. Researching and preparing your responses in advance will help you deliver more structured responses that will impress your recruiters and encourage them to shortlist you for the next step.