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Bartender Interview Questions

Edited by Indeed Employer Content Team
Last updated 1 April 2025
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Bartender interview questions and answers.

  1. How do you encourage repeat business with your customers? See answer
  2. What experience do you have with inventory management of liquor and bar supplies? See answer
  3. What kind of establishments have you worked in before? See answer
  4. What point of sale programmes are you familiar with using? See answer
  5. Have you ever created a signature drink? See answer
  6. A guest asks for a drink recommendation. What do you say? See answer
  7. Describe a time you handled an intoxicated customer. See answer
  8. How do you stay organised during a busy shift? See answer
  9. How do you stay up to date with current drink trends? See answer
  10. What is your least favourite task of bartending? See answer
  11. How do you build rapport with guests? See answer
  12. Why should we hire you as our bartender? See answer
  13. What food ad alcohol handling certifications do you have?
  14. What is your level of expertise with cocktails and wines?
  15. How do you support less experienced coworkers?
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 Bartender Interview Questions and Answers

How do you encourage repeat business with your customers?

A bartender is an integral part of the team and provides an excellent customer experience. The question's goal is to determine how the candidate provides exceptional customer service and encourages patrons to come back. What to look for in an answer:

  • Interpersonal skills to build rapport with guests
  • Communication and active listening skills
  • A positive and enthusiastic attitude
Example:

"I work to make a connection with every customer by asking them questions and listening actively. Whether they're coming in for a drink or dinner, I treat every customer with care, attention, and respect. Making personal connections, finding common interests, and joking with customers are all ways I encourage repeat business."

What experience do you have with inventory management of liquor and bar supplies?

Bartenders need to manage alcohol and other bar supplies. The question's goal is to evaluate the candidate's experience maintaining stock, projecting sales, and managing inventory effectively. What to look for in an answer:

  • organisational skills
  • Attention to detail when counting, ordering, and receiving stock
  • Trustworthiness and reliability to account for alcohol consumption accurately
Example:

"In my previous position, every bartender was responsible to account for their inventory before and again at the end of their shift. I'm familiar with different inventory tracking software and also have experience counting inventory manually."

What kind of establishments have you worked in before?

You may prefer candidates with specific bartending experience in catering facilities, private lounges, hotels, or nightclubs. The goal of the question is to determine the candidate's expertise in various work settings. What to look for in an answer:

  • Adaptability and transferrable skills
  • Flexibility to perform high-quality work in several environments
  • Interpersonal skills to serve different demographics
Example:

"When I first began bartending, I worked at several nightclubs and lounges. However, I really enjoy talking to my customers, so I find working in smaller establishments more enjoyable. I've since worked in restaurants, hotel lounges, and even a ski resort where I could make more meaningful connections with customers."

What food and alcohol handling certifications do you have?

Depending on the province or territory you operate in, a bartender requires a specific certification to serve alcohol. This question determines if the candidate has a valid certificate to serve in your local area. What to look for in an answer:

  • Current alcohol service certification for your region
  • Awareness of alcohol service safety
  • Ability to follow company policies and local legislation
Example:

"I have a current ProServe certificate to work in Alberta, and I've also taken food handling and safety training courses. I'm familiar with how to sanitise glassware at the bar and am comfortable prepping citrus and other drink garnishes safely."

What's your level of expertise with cocktails and wines?

A bartender needs extensive knowledge of various beverages, which may depend on your company's speciality, such as wine, spirits, beer, or cocktails. The goal of the question is to determine the candidate's comfort level and knowledge of specific drinks. What to look for in an answer:

  • Detailed understanding of different wine, beer, cocktails, and spirits
  • Awareness of the alcoholic drinks your bar offers
  • Willingness to continue professional development to advance their career
Example:

"Having worked in a high-end bar for several years, I'm very comfortable mixing cocktails and know most by memory. As for wine, I have intermediate knowledge and have taken courses to understand the intricacies of wine profiles better. I'm confident in my ability to make suitable pairing recommendations for guests."

What point of sale programmes are you familiar with using?

Bartenders need to use a point of sale (POS) system to receive drink orders from servers and start customer tabs. The goal of the question is to determine the candidate's experience using computer software for bar tickets. What to look for in an answer:

  • Basic computer literacy to use POS systems effectively
  • Solid understanding of how to process and organise drink orders
  • Experience with digital inventory management
Example:

"All of my previous bars have used a POS system for placing drink orders and receiving them from servers. I also understand how to use different programmes to count inventory and place stock orders when needed. The programmes I used most frequently were Toast, OpenTable, and Vend. I'm confident I could learn a new system quickly."

Have you ever created a signature drink?

Bartenders sometimes create signature beverages for a restaurant or bar. The question's goal is to determine the candidate's level of experience in creating fresh drinks for a menu or event. What to look for in an answer:

  • Creativity and ingenuity to put a unique spin on standard drinks
  • Ability to pair beverage choices with menu items or bar themes
  • Enthusiasm for the profession
Example:

"When I first started bartending, I spent a lot of time experimenting with different flavour profiles. As my knowledge and experience grew, I learned how to create a fantastic signature drink. In my previous position, I worked with our executive chef to pair signature drinks with seasonal menu items every three months."

A guest asks for a drink recommendation. What do you say?

Bartenders must be able to provide drink recommendations based on a guest's preferences and meal choices. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's ability to build rapport with a customer and recommend the best options. What to look for in an answer:

  • Communication skills to interact with guests, ask questions, and provide excellent service
  • A solid foundation of knowledge in common beverages and taste profiles
  • Confidence in making appropriate recommendations
Example:

"When a customer asks for a drink recommendation, the first thing I do is ask them a series of follow-up questions about their preferences. For example, if they're looking for wine, I'd ask if they prefer white or red, dry or sweet, and something light or full-bodied. I also find out what they're eating so that I can offer something to pair well with their meal."

Describe a time you handled an intoxicated customer.

Because a bartender works in an environment with alcohol, they sometimes need to manage impaired guests. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's response in handling intoxicated or unruly customers. What to look for in an answer:

  • Interpersonal skills to treat all customers with respect and dignity
  • Communication skills to ask questions and evaluate a guest's intoxication
  • Ability to follow company policies and procedures
Example:

"I work hard to monitor all my customer's level of intoxication and never serve someone if I think they're intoxicated. However, if I notice a guest has become impaired, I immediately stop serving them alcohol, and bring water. I ask them discretely how they're getting home and offer to call them a taxi to get them home safely."

How do you stay organised during a busy shift?

Bartenders need to multitask effectively and handle many duties at once while staying organised and efficient. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's ability to prioritise their tasks. What to look for in an answer:

  • Time management skills to complete various tasks throughout a shift
  • organisational skills to create a productive workflow
  • Ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment
Example:

"The first key to staying organised is to have everything prepped in advance. When I start my shift, I ensure the bar is stocked, glassware is clean, and garnishes are ready.I prioritise drink orders based on when the servers send them to me. I stay aware and anticipate my bar patron's orders, so I can multitask to prepare their drinks alongside the server's orders. I keep common drinks, like house red and white wines, easily accessible to improve efficiency."

How do you support less experienced coworkers in the lounge?

An experienced bartender may need to take on a leadership role with less experienced colleagues. The goal of the question is to determine the candidate's comfort level in supporting other coworkers. What to look for in an answer:

  • Leadership skills
  • Communication and interpersonal skills
  • Ability to use their experience to train other staff members
Example:

"When there's a new staff member, I take time to get to know them and their experience in the food and beverage industry. I offer support and guidance by helping them remember regular customer's orders, and share tips on how to make recommendations to new patrons."

How do you stay up to date with current drink trends?

A successful bartender needs to understand standard drinks and stay current with trends and new products. The goal of the question is to determine the candidate's enthusiasm for professional development. What to look for in an answer:

  • Willingness to stay current with trends, new products, and techniques
  • Communication skills to ask questions and research information
  • Interpersonal skills to network with other professionals in the industry
Example:

"Having been a bartender for several years, I've developed many great professional relationships with other bartenders, brand sales representatives, and restaurateurs. This allows me to network and stay up to date on the latest trends and upcoming products."

What is your least favourite task of bartending?

The question's goal is to evaluate the candidate's opinion of the role's duties and responsibilities, specifically their least enjoyable tasks. What to look for in an answer:

  • A positive and enthusiastic attitude about the company and position
  • Ability to complete all tasks with high quality, accuracy, and dedication
  • Communication skills to express thoughts and ideas effectively
Example:

"My least favourite task is cleaning the restaurant at the end of the day. Of course, every bar needs a final deep clean at the end of the shift. It can be time-consuming and is challenging after a busy day! But I've learned to clean meticulously as I go so that the deep clean never feels overwhelming."

How do you build rapport with guests?

A bartender typically needs to be comfortable speaking with customers and starting conversations. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's comfort level when building rapport with guests. What to look for in an answer:

  • Communication skills to hold meaningful conversations with customers
  • Interpersonal skills to treat all guests with respect and dignity
  • Customer service skills to make recommendations
Example:

"When a new customer arrives, I greet them, ask how their day is going, and continue the conversation. Creating rapport is about treating everyone as an individual and catering to the customer's expectations."

Why should we hire you as our bartender?

The goal of the question is to give the candidate an opportunity to share their unique characteristics and qualities that make them an excellent fit for your team. What to look for in an answer:

  • Unique or highly developed bartending skills
  • Interpersonal skills that allow for a great fit with the company culture
  • Confidence in their abilities and experience
Example:

"I have great bartending knowledge and can make standard cocktail recipes from memory. I enjoy showmanship and creating an engaging experience at the bar when mixing drinks. I enjoy customer interaction and have built a loyal following of regular customers I could bring to your business."

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