Chick-fil-A Interview Questions
Each Chick-fil-A franchise will have its own set of Chick-fil-A interview questions but they all want to understand the same things.
Each question will find out more about your:
- Personality. Are they looking to spend a lot of time with you?
- Motivation and work ethic. What motivates you to work hard even when you don’t feel like doing so?
- Skills, experience and problem solving are key. Can you provide outstanding customer service even when you are tired? Can you motivate your team?
- Logistics. What time will you start? Do you plan to continue working for them?
Below are some examples of Chick-fil-A interview questions. These are just a few examples from dozens of job candidates.
Examples of Chick-fil-A Interview Questions
To understand… | Some might wonder… |
Personality | – Tell me about yourself. – Describe yourself in 3 words – In three words, how would you describe yourself to a coworker? – How would your family describe you in 3 words? – What is your proudest accomplishment? – Are you a leader or a follower? – What would you do if you could be an animal? Why? – What have you done for your community? – How would you define excellent customer service? – Why do you believe customer service is so important? – How would your previous boss describe you? – Tell us about a time you went above and beyond for a customer. – Do you work well in a fast or slow pace? – What would be your ideal workplace? |
Motivation | -Why would you like to work here? – What motivates you to work hard? – What do you know about Chick-fil-A? – What makes Chick-fil-A better than its competitors? – Who are the competitors of Chick-fil-A? – How do you prioritize your work? – What is most interesting about this job? – What is your “Why” to work at Chick-fil-A? – What do you want to do with the rest of your life? – Where do you see yourself in five years? – What item do you like best on our menu? |
Work ethic | – Do you have a strong work ethic? – Are you involved in any clubs or sports? – What have you done to serve your community or school? – Show me an example of your hard work. – Can I tell you about a time you did more than what was expected? – How do you feel about standing for long periods of time? |
Experience | – What other jobs have you held? – Have you ever worked in the food service industry? – Tell me about an instance when you had to react to anger from someone. – What would you do if you were in a grocery store and saw someone stealing? – Tell us about a time when you went above and beyond in order to correct an issue a customer brought to your attention? – What was your biggest mistake in a previous job? How did you fix it? – What is your favorite restaurant experience? – What’s the worst restaurant experience you have had? – Are you comfortable working outside at the drive-thru? – Do you prefer working in the front of the house or in the kitchen? |
Skills | – What is your greatest strength? – What is your greatest weakness? – What is good service? –Â Tell us about a time when you have improved the team. |
Problem solving | – How do you manage conflict? -Tell us about a time when you disagreed with a coworker. – How did you find this job? -Why should I hire you? -Tell us about a time when you had a disagreement with a leader. -Tell us about a time when you did something kind for someone you didn’t know. – How would you deal with a customer who makes you mad? – (In group interview) Why should you hire the person to your right? |
Logistics | – What’s your availability? – How many hours do you need to work? – What pay are you expecting to make? – Why did you leave your last job? (note: for this question don’t say for money, because you didn’t like your employer, or that the commute was too long. Say something like you outgrew your old job and that you’re looking for new challenges.) |
Other | Do you have any questions? |
What are Chick-fil-A Interviewers Looking forÂ
Note:Â Dress casually if you are attending a Chickfil-A Cashier interview or any other non-management interview. Dress formal if you’re attending a Chickfil-A Operator Interview. If you get a second interview, it will likely be with the hiring manager.
According to Indeed here: https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Chick–fil–a/interviews 78% of people get an on-site interview, 25% of people have a phone call/screening, 23% get a group interview, 17% get a background check, and 12% get problem solving exercises.
Think about how the manager is viewing you before applying. What do they want?
They are looking for someone who is willing to work hard, give great service to customers, and be fun around others.
Make sure you communicate that you are:
- Motivated to work hard. Tell them why you are interested in the job and what are your goals? What motivates you to go to work and do a great job even when you don’t want to?
- Be honest. Share a story that shows your honesty and willingness to do the right thing, even though it is difficult.
- Service-oriented. Share a story about why you believe service is important. When has a kind gesture or service made a difference in your life? What can you do to “pay it forward”?
- You are a team player. Please share how you will help and improve a team.
- Communicate that you are committed to staying at the location for at least a few years. If they feel you will leave when things get difficult or if you receive a better job, they may not hire you.
Okay. Now that you understand what they want, here’s the question they’ll ask.
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Chick-fil-A Interview Questions: Sample Responses
Many of these questions can be viewed in different ways, but they all ask for the same five qualities: character, work ethic, team player, and commitment.
Here are some ways you can answer common interview questions.
WHY WOULD YOU LIKE TO WORK FOR CHICK-FIL-A
You’ll want to demonstrate that you have done extensive research on Chick-fil-A, and explain why you are interested in a job. Make this your response.
You might think:
To pay for my car and gas, I will need a job. I plan to save over the next few years so that I can travel around Europe once I graduate. (This will communicate that I am committed for many years).
Chick-fil-A is my favorite restaurant. No matter where I am, I love coming here. The service is quick, the people are friendly, and it’s easy to see that they enjoy each other. And the food… I can still recall my first waffle fry at Carolina Circle Mall when I was 4 years old.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?
I would be very strategic and ask what it would require to get hired.
I would love to work here. Can you please tell me your requirements?
If it’s the end, I’d add:
I would love to work here. If you wouldn’t hire me, why wouldn’t you? I’d love to hear your concerns.
HOW WOULD YOU DEAL WITH A CUSTOMER WHO MAKES YOU MAD?
Step by step, try to describe what you would do.
I would take a deep breath and remind myself that I don’t know their lives and that they’re likely upset about another thing.
WHAT SALARY ARE YOU EXPECTING TO MAKE?
First, take a look at Glassdoor to find out what Chick-fil-A and other restaurants in your area are charging. You can then say:
Glassdoor showed me that the average hourly rate for this job is $X, so I expected that. For me, the most important thing is to get paid as much as people with my experience and have the opportunity to succeed.
PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT TIMES WHEN YOU WENT BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY.
Consider your past experiences when you put in a lot of effort. This could be something you have done in your previous job, such as a party you organized or an event you planned. You could take this example:
Each Thursday I help out at the soup kitchen by making and washing dishes. They offer breakfast twice per week but don’t have enough volunteers or the resources to provide more.
So I reached out to teachers at my school to ask if they would allow me to go class to class and I made an announcement in each class asking for student volunteers to volunteer and raise money or food donations. The kitchen became open Monday through Friday.
Are you a hard worker?
Tell us why you said yes and tell us a story about how hard you work.
Yes. I will do my best to accomplish whatever task I am given. Every morning, I get up at 6AM to train for the track team.
WHICH ARE YOUR STRENGTHS?
You can be truthful about your strengths. For weaknesses you shouldn’t say something that will indicate that you’d be late for work, not work hard, or that you might quit the job. You should focus on your lack of skills and experience.
I have never worked in a restaurant. However, I have served in volunteer roles and learned quickly.
HOW AVAILABLE ARE YOU?
If you are faced with any difficult constraints, be open to sharing them. But, most importantly, express your desire to get started as soon as you can, unless you absolutely cannot.
I would love to get started immediately but can wait if you aren’t ready yet. Is there a timeline you have?
Checklist for Chick-fil-A Interview Preparation
This will help you nail your interview
- You must be able to answer the following questions:
- Why are you interested in the job?
- What are you most fond of about Chick-fil-A?
- What will motivate you to work even if you are tired?
- Is there a great example of service?
- Name a Chick-fil-A experience that was memorable.
- Your answers to the above questions should be planned. Begin by creating bullet points for each question.
- You can practice speaking loudly. Next, ask yourself questions and practice fast responses.
- Get feedback. Next, ask someone to give you feedback on your interview answers. Keep a video record of your responses. Ask your mock interviewer what you could have done better and then watch the recordings to learn how you can improve.
- Check your clothes. You can wear khakis, nice jeans, a button-down shirt (tucked into), and a belt.
- Check your transportation. You should have a ride, fuel in your car, bike tires inflated, and money on your bus pass in order to avoid being late.
- Get excited. Do some exercise, listen or watch a clip of a movie. Whatever gets you fired up to conquer the interview, it’s worth it.
- Be on time. Allow enough time for traffic and other road delays.
Additional resources:
Interview tips from a Chick-fil-A manager https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDTLpzviufIÂ
Chick-fil-A team member interview:Â https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg0qF1E4-CM
Interview tips from a Chick-fil-A supervisor:Â https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LylNxkuO598Â
Chick-fil-A cook interview:Â https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmKpL5v8jC8Â
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