Ken Chase 
Make sure you're ready to land that restaurant job by studying these top Olive Garden interview questions and example answers.
Olive Garden is an established part of many communities across the United States, with more than 900 locations and 99,000 employees. If you're one of the many restaurant professionals seeking employment with this well-known restaurant chain, you'll need to be prepared to answer the top Olive Garden interview questions to ensure that you make the right impression on the company's hiring team.
In this article, we'll provide some simple tips to help you learn how to answer the top 15 Olive Garden interview questions. You'll also find some sample answers that will help you craft your own customized responses.
Tips for answering Olive Garden interview questions
Remember that Olive Garden – like all restaurants – will always prioritize customer experience. When you construct answers to questions, try to emphasize customer service and satisfaction.
Make sure you spend some time researching the company, and the job you want. You may even want to review the restaurant's menu, especially if you're seeking a role in the kitchen.
Spend some time learning more about different types of questions and strategies for answering them. For one of the best tools for learning how to formulate interview questions, check out our article: Using the STAR Method in Job Interviews: A Strategy Guide.
Top 15 Olive Garden interview questions and answers
1. Tell me a bit about yourself
This question is usually used to help you get comfortable by asking you to talk about yourself. Don't fall into the trap of talking about your hobbies or childhood activities, though: make sure that you focus on an answer that highlights work-related capabilities.
Sample answer:
I've worked in the hospitality industry all my working life, including time as a busser to pay my way through college. I was promoted to server really quickly and have thrived in the business since then. Outside of work, I play baseball for a Sunday league team and I'm currently learning Spanish.
2. Why are you interested in working for Olive Garden?
To successfully navigate this Olive Garden interview question, you will need to have done your homework – and thoroughly. Make sure you're focusing on areas that demonstrate why your values and work style are aligned with the company.
Sample answer:
I love the ethos behind the name, including the Harvest program partnering with Feeding America to help families in the local area facing hunger by donating large amounts of food every week. I'm also really excited to work in a busy environment, making people happy and providing a great experience. Because it's such a successful organization, I know I'll learn a lot and ultimately advance and improve my key skills.
Related reading: Crafting a Compelling Response to Why This Position Appeals to You
3. Why should we hire you?
This is when you hit them with your accomplishments and illustrate the key skills that set you apart from the rest of the competition.
Sample answer:
Attention to detail, flourishing under pressure, and teamwork all come naturally to me. I'm articulate, with a professional attitude and remain composed during difficult situations.
4. How do you imagine yourself fitting into the culture of Olive Garden?
The work culture of a place is vitally important, so explain how you can quickly get used to the restaurant's way of doing things.
Sample answer:
My experiences at Olive Garden restaurants have left me with the impression that this is a workplace that prides itself on a family-oriented culture with high levels of communication and camaraderie. I think I'd be an excellent fit for this type of culture, because I strongly believe in pulling together as a team while having fun at the same time.
5. What are your greatest strengths?
These need to be industry-related, so make sure you've studied the job description and can list some of the skills on it, with examples.
Sample answer:
I'm a really hard worker with 7 years in hospitality, often working beyond my shift time to make sure everything's in order before I leave for the night. Customers seem to like me, tip me generously, and often identify me by name with positive feedback on Tripadvisor.
6. Describe any previous work experience you've had that's relevant to this role
There's going to be tough competition for most roles, so talk briefly but decisively about any previous experience that can demonstrate your fitness for the role.
Sample answer:
I worked in a busy bar during spring breaks, then I took a hospitality course. This led to me being offered a job as a server with a nationwide burger chain, where I honed my customer service skills. I'm now ready for a new and more challenging role.
7. How do you deal with difficult customers? Give an example of how you managed and resolved a difficult situation
This is a type of behavioral interview question that requires you to describe an actual event that happened during previous employment. Try to pick a story that ended with a good result.
Sample answer:
I mistakenly served a meat burger to a vegetarian. After she took a bite of it and realized my mistake, she threw it at me. I remained calm and immediately apologized even as she remained aggressive and shouted at me for a while. In the end, she came and apologized to me for throwing a fit.
8. What are your top three customer service skills?
If you can illustrate your answer with an actual example of when you delivered outstanding customer service, all the better.
Sample answer:
Bringing a smile to a customer's face, listening, and understanding exactly what each customer needs, as well as accommodating all their requirements to the best of my ability.
9. In what ways are you a team player? Prove it.
This competency based Olive Garden interview question is there to show how you handle particular work-based scenarios.
Sample answer:
I'm outgoing and enjoy working with others. I often take on additional duties to help out other team members, collaborate throughout the day, and take responsibility for my own duties and actions. For example, there was a time when one of the young servers was being harassed by a customer. I noticed what was going on and stepped in to help her out.
I calmly had a chat with the customer, pointed out their behavior was unnecessary, and asked them to stop. It resulted in the server being grateful to me for backing her, and the minimum amount of fuss was caused as the customer backed off.
10. How well do you cope under pressure?
An ability to thrive under pressure is vital in the hospitality sector, as things can get heated and potentially out of hand very quickly.
Sample answer:
With many conflicting demands throughout a shift, I carefully organize tasks to reduce pressure from the outset. Still a certain amount of pressure can be helpful and stimulating, reminding you that you're alive. I try to channel that feeling and use the energy to get as much done as possible.
11. What gets you motivated?
Don't make the mistake of saying “a high salary” or something equally flippant. Of course, money is usually the driver for taking a job, but you'll need something more.
Sample answer:
Happy customers and working as part of a dedicated team. I love getting great feedback – the more I get, the better I want to be.
12. Why do you want to leave your current job?
Your motivation for moving positions is behind this Olive Garden interview question, so focus on a positive reply.
Sample answer:
I'm looking for more stability and a greater challenge. The place I work at now has just 20 covers, so I'm looking forward to working here in a much larger restaurant and team.
13. What is your punctuality and attendance like? Has it ever been an issue in previous jobs?
Consistently turning up to your shift on time is a basic requirement, but one that is often abused by staff. Try to convince the interviewer that you're reliable.
Sample answer:
It's incredibly important to arrive at work on time for a shift, so I'm not rushing to put on the uniform or find out which tables are mine. There was one time that I was late at work because my bus didn't arrive on time. After that, I made sure to catch an earlier bus.
14. How would you deal with the demanding physical aspects of the role?
Being on your feet all day can take its toll, so instill a sense of confidence in your prospective employer with your response by proving you're fit and healthy.
Sample answer:
I play sports, which keeps me fit, and I'm a healthy weight for my height. Having worked in hospitality for a few years now, I'm used to the physical demands and make sure to take my breaks so that I'm energized throughout my shift.
15. What appeals to you most about this vacancy?
The interviewer wants to discover your key motivator for securing this role, to provide insight into who you are as a professional. Try to focus on an area of interest that aligns with the key skills you can use to meet Olive Garden's needs.
Sample answer:
Your excellent focus on customer service. I can see how important customer satisfaction is to Olive Garden, and I want to be part of that. I'm committed to excellence in customer service, so I feel I'm the right fit for the job.
Learn how to answer key Olive Garden interview questions
To land a great job with Olive Garden, you'll need to make sure that you stand out from the competition during the interview process. By learning how to identify and answer the most common Olive Garden interview questions, you can ensure that you make the right first impression on interviewers. And that can be exactly what you need to increase your odds of receiving that job offer.
Spruce up your interview techniques and nail those Olive Garden interview questions by employing one of our professional interview coaches to set you on the pathway to success.
This article was originally written by Elizabeth Openshaw. It has been updated by Ken Chase.