40+ McDonald's Interview Questions and Sample Answers (2022)
Looking for McDonald's interview questions and answers? McDonald’s Corporation is an American fast-food company. It is one of the world’s largest fast-food restaurants. McDonald’s organizational culture prioritizes employee’s needs and development. The company’s Core Values and Standards of Business Conduct emphasize the importance of supporting people.
McDonald’s organizational culture prides itself on four pillars: individual learning, organizational learning, diversity, and inclusion. McDonald’s corporate website provides a number of resources for job seekers. Depending on the career path. And whether choosing to interview with McDonald’s in one of their restaurant locations or choosing to pursue a career at a corporate location. McDonald’s prides itself on being “customer-obsessed, better together, and committed to lead.”
Preparing for a McDonald’s Interview
When preparing for a McDonald’s interview. Whether at a restaurant location or a corporate location. It’s vital to review the business's corporate culture, founding story, and values.
McDonald’s defines its values as operating on a few pillars:
- Community
- Family
- Integrity
- Inclusion
- Serve
It can be beneficial to review the founding story of McDonald’s. McDonald’s starts their story by saying “In 1917, 15-year-old Ray Kroc lied about his age to join the Red Cross as an ambulance driver. But the war ended before he completed his training. He then worked as a piano player, a paper cup salesman, and a Multimixer salesman. In 1954, he visited a restaurant in San Bernardino, California, that had purchased several Multimixers. There he found a small but successful restaurant run by brothers Dick and Mac McDonald, and was stunned by the effectiveness of their operation.”
A job seeker will begin their interview process by speaking with either a restaurant manager, hiring manager, regional manager, or the franchise owner directly. The formal interview will be constructed of interview questions that test customer service skills, teamwork, and inclusion.
Review the job description in advance of the interview; this will help prepare for the interview. Questions about salary, skills, and requirements may be answered in the job posting or job advertisement (sometimes referred to as a “job ad”).
McDonald's Job Interview Tips
McDonald's provides interview tips on their corporate website for job seekers. Placing emphasis on what to wear to the job interview. They go on to say:
- While some dark wash jeans may be appropriate for the first day of school. Only dark conservative dress pants are acceptable in the first interview.
- Trade your favorite band tee for a collared shirt or a nice blouse.
- Choose dress shoes over sneakers. Flip-flops are a cardinal fashion ”no” for interviews.
- On the flip-side, though, don’t show up in a tuxedo or last year’s prom gown. There is such a thing as being overdressed.
- Make sure your appearance is clean and doesn’t detract from your interview. Wash your face, brush your teeth, lose the bling.
McDonald’s Interview Questions & Answers
Below are job interview questions and answers when interviewing at a McDonald’s restaurant with a hiring manager, restaurant manager, or independent franchisee.
What attracts you to working here at a McDonald’s?
Answer: The ability to learn about driving customer experience, driving a high-quality restaurant experience, and being a contributing member of the team. This is an entry-level position for me, and I hope it can start my career.
Are you passionate about customer service?
Answer: Yes. I’ve been the person or customer on the other end of an issue. And how it was handled, both positively and poorly, really impacted me. And I’d like to be a role model for what good customer service looks like for others. Communication skills are essential for customer service, and active-listening is something that I believe I can practice.
How would you greet a customer?
Answer: Saying good morning or good afternoon, then welcoming them to McDonald’s and then asking if I can help them.
Are you looking for full-time or part-time work?
Answer: I’m looking for both full-time and part-time work, whatever might be available at this location.
What do you think you can bring to the McDonald’s team?
Answer: I bring a positive attitude, attention to detail, and the ability to coordinate and care for my fellow teammates.
What do you think you can learn from the McDonald’s team?
Answer: I can learn how to operate a corporate-owned restaurant and drive a high-quality restaurant experience.
What part of McDonald’s values do you cherish?
Answer: I value the importance of inclusivity and community.
What’s your favorite menu item?
Answer: The whopper!
How would you describe yourself?
Answer: I would describe myself as an empathetic person who cares about others.
What would you do if a cash register was $20 over at the closing shift?
Answer: I would leave a note for the shift supervisor and inform them that the register was over. Then follow company policies and procedures on cash handling.
How would you coordinate with other team members?
Answer: By speaking about the restaurant's wider objectives or our work that day, first. Then trying to determine who is going to do each job to play a role.
Why do you think we should hire you?
Answer: Because I’m a huge fan of McDonald’s and I can bring a unique perspective to the team. This and other qualities from my previous work experience make me a good fit for this role.
What hours are you available to work?
Answer: I’m available most weekdays and weekends aside from a few morning hours, including school.
How would you motivate others?
Answer: My trying to learn what’s motivating them in the workplace, first. Then using that as a reminder for why we’re doing our job.
What would you do if a customer was unhappy with their order?
Answer: I would first apologize for the lack of quality. And then try to resolve the issue with the customer by attempting to fix the issue. Or inform them of what we’ll be doing to correct the mistake.
What would you do if a customer made a mess in the restaurant?
Answer: I would clean up the mess. There is no task that is “beneath me.” And I value the experience that we can deliver at all times.
How would you resolve a conflict between teammates?
Answer: When it comes to employment matters like this, it's important to involve a supervisor or manager if available. Then try to engage in conflict resolution, which is a skill that I value. Being able to empathize with someone else and then determine the appropriate next steps to correct the issue. Then getting back to work.
What gets you up in the morning?
Answer: The ability to grow every single day. This is the act of learning something new, advancing myself, and becoming a better person.
What was your best experience at a McDonald's?
Answer: My best experience at a McDonald's was when I was very young. My mother would bring all of us through the drive-thru. And we would each get to pick what meal we wanted. It was a special day for us when we had the opportunity to do this. Of course, I picked the Kid's Meal. It came with a toy, who wouldn't pick it? The whole experience was nothing shy of incredible. It stuck out to me. The smell of the food. Packaging. The way that the customer service experience was. This was my best experience.
What qualities would you bring with you to this job?
Answer: I have always been able to pride myself on bringing a positive attitude to my work. Whether the situation seems "poor" at the time, I'm able to look past the current situation and make something great happen. This is a quality that I feel I can bring to the team and this location.
What concerns you about working here?
Answer: While I feel I have strong multitasking abilities, I am concerned about rush hour times and what the experience will be like. I want to ensure that my customer service abilities stay the highest-quality that they can. But I'm concerned if I get distracted, what my quality of work might turn into.
Questions to Ask the Interviewer
Here are some great questions to ask the interviewer at the end of the interview:
- What do you look for in a team member?
- How many other job candidates are interviewing for this position?
- How long does it take to make employment decisions like this?
- Will there be a second interview?
- What’s one piece of advice you would give to yourself when interviewing for this position?
- What type of valuable experience do you feel I’ll be able to gain from this role?
- What interview advice would you have given yourself?
- Is there anything on my job application that you’d like to see from an applicant?
- What’s it like to work at a fast food restaurant?
- What type of career goals did you have when interviewing for this position?
An interviewer will provide ample time at the end of the interview for the candidate to ask questions. Wait until the interview is complete before asking questions. Come prepared with at least one to three questions to ask at the end of the interview. If the interviewer answers questions on the list of questions, skip that question and move onto the next one.
Asking questions shows an engaged candidate who is ready to work.
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