By Mike Simpson
Taco Bell has more than 7,000 restaurant locations, making it an attractive option when looking for a new job. While opportunities are often plentiful, most candidates will face some potentially stiff competition. As a result, you want to ensure you’re ready with standout answers to the Taco Bell interview questions.
While it may seem like creating a stellar response would be tricky, it’s reasonably easy if you prepare in advance. If you want to make sure you nail it, here’s everything you need to know about answering Taco Bell interview questions.
How to Answer Taco Bell Interview Questions
Before we look at the top 15 Taco Bell interview questions, it’s a good idea to spend a few moments talking about your interview strategy. That way, you’re not just prepared to answer the questions we cover below; you’re also able to hit curveball questions right out of the park.
When it comes to the type of employee Taco Bell wants to find, the company’s mission, vision, and values, the focus is on providing quick, friendly, and accurate service. As a result, hiring managers usually look for personable but diligent candidates to add to their teams.
Additionally, Taco Bell prides itself on innovation. The company also aims to be an employer of choice, offering benefits like education assistance and flexible schedules.
In many ways, that helps you see what you need to highlight in your answers to stand out, increasing your chances of landing a job offer. However, you’ll want to dig a bit deeper to ensure you tap on all of the necessary details when answering Taco Bell interview questions.
What does that mean for you? That it’s time for some research.
Begin by looking closely at the job description for the position you want to land. Usually, you’ll see a list of must-have skills, traits, and experience, giving you clear insights into what the hiring manager is after. If you review the rest of the job description, you can typically get more details about the company culture and desirable characteristics, all of which you can incorporate into your answers.
Next, review the Taco Bell website. Look over the careers pages for more insights into the culture. Then, check out the menu, as there’s a good chance you’ll be asked a question or two about it.
Spending some time on social media and exploring Taco Bell’s profiles is a wise move, too. Along with more culture details, you can find out about new food items, upcoming events, or recent achievements, which can help you tailor your answers even further.
After you finish the research, it’s time to develop your technique. For traditional interview questions, the process is reasonably simple. The hiring manager will ask if you have specific experience or a particular skill. If so, you lead with a “yes” before offering a quick example highlighting your related capabilities. If not, admit it, then concentrate on your willingness to learn, showcasing your enthusiasm.
For behavioral and situational Taco Bell interview questions, you need a different approach. With these, you’ll either provide an example based on your past experience or discuss how you’d manage a hypothetical situation.
In the end, the same technique works for behavioral and situational interview questions. Start with the STAR Method and stir in a healthy dose of the Tailoring Method. Doing that gives you thorough, engaging answers, increasing your odds of impressing the hiring manager.
Top 3 Taco Bell Interview Questions
Usually, it’s pretty easy to assume that practically every Taco Bell interview would be more or less alike. However, the reality is quite different, as Taco Bell hires a wider range of professionals than most expect.
In total, Taco Bell has approximately 175,000 employees. While the bulk of its workforce is front-line restaurant and kitchen team members, the corporate offices also feature professionals working in many other fields, including accounting, advertising, finance, technology, upper management, and more.
So, since Taco Bell hires for different positions, not everyone faces the same Taco Bell interview questions. After all, they don’t need to ask restaurant team members about marketing strategy, just as they wouldn’t focus on cooking and food preparation when interviewing accountants.
However, most people who work for the company begin their careers as restaurant team members. Often, these positions are entry-level. Plus, many don’t require experience, making them solid options for anyone taking their first steps into food service or the workforce.
Since that’s the case, we will focus on the questions these team members typically encounter. With that in mind, here is a deep dive into our top three Taco Bell interview questions and answers.
1. What do you think successful Taco Bell employees have in common?
While this question may seem like the hiring manager expects you to have a crystal ball, that isn’t the case. Instead, they’re trying to figure out what skills and traits you believe are critical to the job, allowing them to see if there’s some degree of alignment.
Ideally, you want to outline traits and skills that you learned about while reviewing the job description and digging into the company culture. That way, you show that you understand what it takes to thrive.
This question is also a unique opportunity to showcase how your capabilities match the position. When you mention a skill or trait, relate it to your past experience. Not only does that show you understand why something is critical, but you also possess the essential skill or characteristic.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“Personally, I believe that successful Taco Bell employees have several things in common. First, strong communication, collaboration, and teamwork were essential in my last fast food job. I was a top performer in those areas, and it made a significant difference, allowing me to remain productive in a team-oriented environment.
Maintaining a calm demeanor is something else I feel they’d have in common, and it’s also something I have experience with based on my past experience. While working with a sense of urgency is important, so is maintaining your composure during high-pressure times. That way, everyone remains focused, allowing them to navigate rushes or handle difficult customers with greater ease.”
2. What would you do if you saw a coworker struggling during a dinner rush?
Since fast food restaurants are team-oriented environments, the hiring manager wants to know that you’ll step up if the situation demands it and you’re able. When you answer this question, focus on outlining how’d you provide support, either directly or indirectly. That shows you can be part of the solution, all while ensuring your responsibilities are handled.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“If I saw a coworker struggling during a dinner rush, how I would proceed would depend on my role in the service equation and my capabilities. If I can step away from my station and have training that covers the task my coworker is handling, I would immediately shift over to their area and help them catch up, informing my manager that I’m transitioning to provide help.
In situations where I can’t step away or don’t have the required skills, I would inform my manager or a suitably capable colleague about the issue. That allows us to work together to provide them with support while ensuring every other duty is properly handled. While it may mean taking on a bit more until things settle, it’s worth doing so that the team as a whole can succeed.”
3. If you thought you might be late to work, what would you do?
In most fast food restaurants – including Taco Bell – managers want to make sure that they hire reliable, dependable employees. This question is designed to find out how you’d act if there was a chance you’d be late for a shift.
Ideally, you want to show that you’d exercise good judgment and make a solid effort to get to work as quickly as possible. Additionally, the hiring manager wants to see that you’d follow any set procedures.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“If I believed I might be late to a shift, as is typical policy at many fast food restaurants, my first step would be to contact the manager overseeing the location immediately. By reaching out before my shift begins, they can potentially arrange coverage. Plus, it would give me a chance to estimate how late I may be, making it easier for them to plan based on my anticipated arrival.
If company policy required additional steps, I’d handle those, too. However, my primary goal would be to reach the Taco Bell as quickly as I can. That way, the restaurant, manager, and my coworkers aren’t inconvenienced any longer than necessary.”
12 More Taco Bell Interview Questions
Here are 12 more Taco Bell interview questions the hiring manager might ask:
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- Why do you want to work at Taco Bell?
- What do you know about Taco Bell as a company?
- Who are Taco Bell’s main competitors in this area, and why do you think Taco Bell stands apart?
- If a customer complained about the quality of their food or the customer service experience, what would you do?
- What does teamwork mean to you, and why do you think it’s crucial in the fast food industry?
- Can you describe your past fast food or customer service experience?
- How many hours are you looking for, and what’s your overall availability? Are you able to work nights, weekends, or holidays?
- Do you have any cash handling or prepping and cooking experience? If so, can you tell me about it?
- What’s your favorite menu item at Taco Bell?
- Do you view Taco Bell as a place to start a long career, or do you plan on pursuing a career in another industry down the road?
- What about this position excites you most, and what are you most worried about concerning performing in this role?
- If your manager offered negative feedback, how would you handle the situation?
5 Good Questions to Ask at the End of a Taco Bell Interview
Once your Taco Bell interview starts wrapping up, something exciting happens; you get the chance to ask the hiring manager some questions. Why is that exciting? Well, it’s a chance to learn more about the job, company, and culture. Plus, asking intelligent questions shows that you’re engaged and enthusiastic about the opportunity.
As the interview rolls on, some questions might come to mind that you would want to ask, and you can certainly bring them up. However, it’s smart to make sure you have a few ready in advance. That way, you won’t draw a blank when this time comes.
If you aren’t sure what to bring up, here are five good questions to ask at the end of a Taco Bell interview that you can keep in your back pocket:
- Why did you choose to work at Taco Bell? Did the job ultimately meet your expectations?
- What’s this team’s biggest challenge, and how can the new hire help solve it?
- Does Taco Bell usually relatively standardized work schedules, or is there a lot of variation in the times and number of hours?
- How to Taco Bell approach onboarding and training when it brings a new hire onto a team?
- Does Taco Bell provide opportunities for growth and advancement?
Putting It All Together
At this point, you should have a solid understanding of how to tackle Taco Bell interview questions. Use every tip and insight above to your advantage. That way, when it’s time to meet with the hiring manager, you’re ready to impress.
Good luck!
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Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.
His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan, Penn State, Northeastern and others.
Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page.