Restaurant Manager Interview Questions UK: 8 Real Questions and What Interviewers Want

Before your Restaurant Manager interview, it helps to see the questions from the interviewer's side. We have picked eight from our set of 25 and added the reason each one gets asked.

Eight Restaurant Manager interview questions, and what the interviewer is thinking

1. What KPIs do you track to run a restaurant profitably, and what does good look like?

Why they ask: Restaurant managers are judged on numbers, so they want to see commercial fluency.

2. What are the roles of a Designated Premises Supervisor and a personal licence holder under the Licensing Act 2003?

Why they ask: Any licensed restaurant manager must understand the licensing framework.

3. What is your approach to the law on serving alcohol, including Challenge 25 and refusing service?

Why they ask: Failing to follow the law risks fines, licence review and closure.

4. How do you manage allergens and food safety as a restaurant manager?

Why they ask: Front of house must be fully accountable for allergen communication.

5. How do you plan rotas and manage labour costs in line with employment law?

Why they ask: Rostering affects profit, morale and compliance.

6. A guest complains loudly that their steak is overcooked during a busy service. How do you handle it?

Why they ask: Core guest recovery scenario for a restaurant manager.

7. Tell me about a time you turned around a poor guest experience or complaint.

Why they ask: Seeks evidence of service recovery.

8. What does a typical day as a restaurant manager look like?

Why they ask: Checks realistic expectations of a role that mixes people, operations and finance.

A sample answer to question 1

What KPIs do you track to run a restaurant profitably, and what does good look like?

I track sales against budget and last year, average spend per head, covers, food and drink gross profit, labour as a percentage of sales and prime cost, which is food, drink and labour combined. For a full-service restaurant, I'd aim for food GP around 70 per cent, drink GP higher, labour in the high 20s to low 30s and prime cost under about 60 to 65 per cent, though it depends on the concept. I also watch guest measures, such as review scores, complaints and repeat bookings, and team measures like turnover and absence. I review daily flash figures, weekly trading and the monthly P&L, and I act on trends, for example using upselling, rota changes or a menu adjustment, rather than just reporting them.

Common mistake to avoid: Quoting figures without context; ignoring guest satisfaction metrics

Want the rest?

Full model answers, key points and common mistakes for all 25 questions are on the Restaurant Manager interview questions page. The first five are free, no sign-up needed.