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Starbucks Interview Questions and Answers

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Practice for your upcoming Starbucks job interview by using our mock interview. Click 'First Question' below to get started.

First Question

35 Starbucks Interview Questions

10 Interview Questions With Sample Answers

1.   How often do you give an A+ effort while working?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

The interviewer wants to hear that you always put your best foot forward at work. Share with the interviewer that you respect your employer and understand that they trust you to be working hard while at work. Remember that food service can be tough work! You'll be on your feet moving around for most of the shift, especially at Starbucks' busier locations. A hardworking and energetic attitude is key to success in this role, and the interviewer will want to make sure that you can fulfill that each shift.

Written by Rachelle Enns on December 26th, 2021

Answer Example

"I know that Starbucks baristas strive to provide guests with the best experience possible. I give my best effort at work, from the time I start to when I walk out the door. It's important to me to show up ready to work hard and not slack off during a shift. As a server for the past two years at a high-volume restaurant in the city center, I know firsthand how rewarding hard work is, and I'm sure that the references I provided would attest to my diligent work ethic."

Written by Rachelle Enns on December 26th, 2021

2.   How do you expect to make a difference at Starbucks?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

The interviewer wants to hear that you are passionate about working at Starbucks and have thought about making a positive impact while working there. Starbucks takes great pride in providing its patrons with a predictable and excellent experience anywhere in the world. Ensure that your answer demonstrates how you personally will contribute positively to the Starbucks brand.

Think about what kind of impact you could make. Possible things that might come to mind are:

- Creating a favorable environment for customers by smiling, asking them how their day is going, and providing them with excellent service.
- Building business relationships with your co-workers, so everyone looks forward to coming to work each day.
- By giving people energy to make it through a challenging day.

Whatever comes to mind that you are passionate about, share it with the interviewer!

Written by Rachelle Enns on December 26th, 2021

Answer Example

"I plan to make a difference at Starbucks by always being a friendly face to your customers, and encouraging teamwork during every shift. Providing top-notch customer service is at the forefront of my work in my current position, and I would bring that same focus to a career at Starbucks."

Written by Rachelle Enns on December 26th, 2021

3.   How often are you late for your responsibilities, such as school or work?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

Your only answer should be, 'Never!' Starbucks can get quite busy with rushes of customers, and arriving late or missing your shift will put an undue burden on your coworkers. The interviewer needs to know that they can count on you to be at work at the assigned time every day. Tell the interviewer that you are a punctual person who prioritizes arriving at work on time or even a few minutes early. Be sure to mention that you plan for traffic and inclement weather, if relevant in your area. If you have children, be sure to mention that you have backup plans in place for childcare should something fall through with your typical plans. Lastly, back your answer up with a solid example or stats from your previous role.

Written by Rachelle Enns on December 26th, 2021

Answer Example

"In the three years that I worked for my previous employer, I was late just once due to a small car accident on my way to work. I called my boss to fill her in on the situation immediately. I take every precaution possible to ensure I am on time and ready to work when a shift begins."

Written by Rachelle Enns on December 26th, 2021

4.   What would you do to help the community if you could do anything you wanted?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

The interviewer wants to learn more about who you are as a person and that your values align with those of Starbucks. You'll quickly see from their website that Starbucks places emphasis on supporting local communities and global vendors.

Discuss your interests and passions, which can be completely unrelated to coffee. Perhaps you are passionate about elementary education, and you would implement a program to assist at-risk youth. You might be interested in supporting homeless populations or providing clean water to communities globally. This is the time to play up your likability factor. Bonus points if you can relate your answer to a component of the Starbucks mission, like sustainability or strengthening communities.

Written by Rachelle Enns on December 26th, 2021

Answer Example

"I currently volunteer at the local animal shelter and would love to do more to help animals who are mistreated and abandoned. I have always had a huge heart for animals and truly appreciate that Starbucks implements animal welfare-friendly practices."

Written by Rachelle Enns on December 26th, 2021

5.   What is your greatest strength and weakness as a barista?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

Demonstrate self-awareness by sharing with your interviewer what sets you apart as a barista and what you have been working on improving. As always, when it comes to weaknesses, make sure to put a positive spin on your answer that highlights your problem-solving abilities.

Examples of strengths include:
- Speed/efficiency with beverage and food preparation
-Friendliness and excellent customer service skills
- Ability to work well in a team and communicate effectively with coworkers

Examples of weaknesses that won't blow your chance of getting the job include:
- You're new to the food and beverage industry and have some learning to do
- You haven't received formal coffee training

Written by Rachel Hills on July 28th, 2021

Answer Example

"My greatest strength as a barista is my ability to connect with customers through a smile, a short conversation, or providing a personalized recommendation that fits what they're looking for. I really enjoy working in a customer-facing role. Something I've been working on as a barista is improving the efficiency with which I prepare drink orders. While I know that I prepare drinks in an acceptable allotment of time, I'm working to make them even quicker so that I can do my part to help busy lines move faster. To do so in my current position, I've been looking at a timer when making a drink so that I'm aware of how long certain drinks tend to take me. I then focus on shaving a few seconds off through increased organization and concentration."

Written by Rachel Hills on July 28th, 2021

6.   How knowledgeable are you about coffee?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

While you don't need to be a coffee connoisseur to get a job at Starbucks, you should at least have a working knowledge of the coffee industry and the most popular coffee drinks. If you've previously worked as a barista, now would be the perfect time to bring up what you learned in that role and the customized recommendations you could make for customers.

If you have little to no experience with coffee, that's OK too. Demonstrate your awareness of the Starbucks Coffee Academy and share with your interviewer that you're a quick learner and have a plan to get up to speed quickly.

Written by Rachel Hills on July 28th, 2021

Answer Example

"In my current job as a bartender, I've learned to make high-quality drinks quickly and provide great customer service. While I don't usually make coffee-based drinks, I have a working understanding of different drinks due to years of being a regular coffee drinker. For example, I know the components of lattes, macchiatos, mochas, flat whites, and so on. I catch on quickly and feel confident that I will be able to memorize the various Starbucks-specific recipes through the Starbucks Coffee Academy."

Written by Rachel Hills on July 28th, 2021

7.   How knowledgeable are you about our food and beverage offerings?

How to Answer

You don't have to have the entire Starbucks menu memorized, but you should know enough to answer this question with ease. Review the core components of the Starbucks menu, keeping in mind that there will be changes due to seasons or location.

Remember, your interviewer is not expecting you to know everything, and they know that many individuals will do much of their learning on the job. But keep in mind that it's easier to train you as a worker if you already have a working knowledge of what you will be preparing.

Written by Rachel Hills on July 28th, 2021

Answer Example

"I've ordered most items on the Starbucks menu at some point and am therefore pretty well-versed in your offerings. I know that your beverages are divided into various categories: hot coffee, hot drinks, hot teas, cold coffee, cold drinks, and cold teas, as well as Frappuccino beverages. I also have a working knowledge of your breakfast and lunch sandwiches, snacks, and bakery items. I plan to focus on perfecting my knowledge of Starbucks' offerings if hired here so that I can be a helpful resource for customers."

Written by Rachel Hills on July 28th, 2021

8.   How would you deal with an angry customer while you were busy completing tasks?

Focus Your Answer On

The interviewer wants to hear that customers are your priority. Tell the interviewer that you would graciously stop what you were doing and start by genuinely listening to the customer. Next, share that you would apologize to the customer and take whatever corrective action was necessary.

Remember that Starbucks puts immense value on the customer experience. Per company policy, they will remake any drink that a customer is not satisfied with. Demonstrate your knowledge of this policy and emphasize to your interviewer that you will gladly remake or make adjustments to any item a customer is not completely happy with.

Written by Rachelle Enns on December 26th, 2021

Answer Example

"If I had an angry customer while working on a task, I would ask a co-worker to help by completing the task while I dealt with the customer. It's important that the customer feels heard and that they have my undivided attention. I would work with the customer until a resolution was made and then continue with my tasks. I know that Starbucks puts the customer experience first, and I would do the same even when busy preparing orders for other customers. I am always happy to remake or change a drink or food item if the customer isn't satisfied."

Written by Rachelle Enns on December 26th, 2021

9.   How would you handle a rude customer?

How to Answer

You might begin by telling the interviewer that you've found the majority of customers to be pleasant to work with. If you have dealt with rude customers frequently, share that information so your interviewer knows that you have experience in that space. In your answer, demonstrate your understanding of important customer service principles, including maintaining composure and a polite attitude even when a customer is unpleasant. You might even share an example of a time you dealt with a rude customer in a previous position and how you handled it.

Written by Rachelle Enns on December 26th, 2021

Answer Example

"Thankfully, unpleasant customers are not an everyday experience in my current job. When I encounter a rude customer, I don't take it personally and still deliver the same customer service that I would to a pleasant customer. Last week, we had a rude customer come in who got upset over things outside of our control. My boss trusted me to handle the situation, and I managed to reassure her while listening calmly to her grievances."

Written by Rachelle Enns on December 26th, 2021

10.   Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond for customer service?

Focus Your Answer On

Give a concrete example of a time when you helped make a situation right for an upset customer. Emphasize your listening skills, calm demeanor, and sincere empathy for the customer. Of course, be sure to tell the interviewer what solution you came up with through your problem-solving and how that solution improved the situation for the customer. You might mention that you are aware of Starbucks' policy to remake any beverage that a customer is unsatisfied with, no matter the reason. If you've applied the same practice in a previous role, feel free to share that with your interviewer.

You can also approach the question with something you have done during the ordinary course of the day to go above and beyond for your customers. For example, if you work at a grocery store, you might share that you walk the customers out to their car when customer levels allow and assist them with loading the groceries in their vehicle.

Written by Rachelle Enns on December 26th, 2021

Answer Example

"I understand that Starbucks puts a lot of effort into their customer experience, and I plan to respect that every step of the way. One way I recently went above and beyond for customer service was when I worked at ABC Restaurant. I had a repeat customer who would come in by himself every day, at the same time, and order the same menu item. I quickly learned his pattern and would have his order ready for him when he arrived. I got to know him and would ask him about his day. It was nice to have a connection with him that went beyond the typical quick service in a casual restaurant."

Written by Rachelle Enns on December 26th, 2021

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