Casual Interview Process
The Steak 'n Shake hiring process operates in a straightforward manner. Applicants submit employment information to a desired location either online or in-person to begin the process. Workers may also request interviews through casual conversation with hiring managers onsite. The informal nature of the hiring process often allows for workers to bypass submitting formal employment information. The restaurant chain also regularly accepts and honors employee referrals, although applicants may need to fill out the necessary paperwork regardless due to protocol and standard procedure.
What to Expect During the Hiring Process
Following submission of employment information, the average applicant receives a phone call to schedule a job interview. The phone call may come shortly after review of candidate information or take several weeks, depending on formal need for workers. The hiring process then evolves into face-to-face interview sessions. Usually candid and casual affairs, Steak 'n Shake interviews typically play out with applicants sitting down for brief periods with hiring personnel at a desired location to discuss aspects of working for the restaurant chain as well as personal habits, hobbies, and professional interests. For serving and hosting positions, the entire Steak 'n Shake interview process may only last a couple of days. Managers, on the other hand, may spend up to two weeks going through the interview process. The additional amount of time encountered by managerial workers often includes longer waiting periods between submitting applicant information and receiving call backs to schedule job interviews.
Common Interview Questions
Interviews typically feature laidback conversation. Hiring managers often only ask a brief series of interview questions to each worker. Main talking points hover around experience in the restaurant industry, desires to work for Steak 'n Shake, and maybe some inquiries into personal interests. Common interview questions may include:
- "How does the experience you possess separate you from the rest of the field?"
- "What types of standards or work ethics do you hold to yourself?"
- "What hours are you available to work?"
How to Ace Your Interview
Applicants should arrive prepared for each job interview. Spend time looking over employment history to demonstrate how you represent an ideal fit for the position desired. Friendly, bubbly, personable individuals typically perform well during Steak 'n Shake interviews. Applicants should maintain genuine interest and affable demeanors to increase odds of serious employment consideration.
What to Wear
Steak 'n Shake often allows workers to interview in casual clothing; however, job seekers looking to make lasting impressions should take the time and care to prepare neat and well-kempt appearances for each interview. Wear clothing typical of the workplace, i.e. nice pants, button-down or polo shirts and sensible, appropriate dresses, skirts, and blouses.
Steak ‘n Shake Drive Thru Operator Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties?
Steak ‘n Shake Drive Thru Operator: Well, I was a drive through operator, so I was the one who took the orders. I was the one who organized all the food and kept the drive time down. And I also cleaned the bathrooms and stock the drive through area, so all the condiments and stuff like that. And then I was also DT too, which is the person who makes the food for drive through. So I would make the food for drive through and then I would clean out the coolers and then I would have to fill dressing bottles too.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Steak ‘n Shake Drive Thru Operator: It was very family oriented, everyone was very, very close. But a lot of people work there. So there was a lot of cliques, so there was some drama, which that wasn’t too fun. That’s why I… I don’t know, I didn’t really like working there that much, because there was just so many people that worked there. It was like you never really knew everybody and they also went through people fast. So it was like every shift there’d be a new person.
Interviewer: Please describe the application and interview process.
Steak ‘n Shake Drive Thru Operator: I applied online and the application was really long. It was very survey oriented, so they had a lot of personality questions which I thought was weird. And then I went in for my interview. I actually had three interviews, because they make you interview with each of the managers and that store had three. So I had to come in three separate times and interview with three different people. And then once I got the job they made you come in and introduce yourself to all the crew and stuff and then you have to do computer work again. And the computer modules weren’t long.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Steak ‘n Shake Drive Thru Operator: They basically just asked your job experience, if I worked before, why I want to work for Steak n Shake? What made me apply to Steak n Shake and what values will I give to the company and how will I make this store better? Stuff like that.
Interviewer: How were you notified that you received the job?
Steak ‘n Shake Drive Thru Operator: They called me and left a message. Yeah. It took two days, they were very quick on that.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Steak ‘n Shake Drive Thru Operator: I would definitely go into the interview with a lot of very professional answers. Definitely quiz yourself on interview questions, because they ask all the basic ones. But also make sure you know your personality type, because they ask a lot of personal questions like that too, which that’s kind of a curve ball.
Steak ‘n Shake Cashier Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Steak ‘n Shake Cashier: When I first started working there I was in the back making the sandwiches and stuff, and then they moved me to being cashier. Took people’s orders, and we didn’t hand them their food, we kind of just took their orders pretty much and that was it.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Steak ‘n Shake Cashier: It was pretty friendly, everyone was really nice. Everyone was really helpful, so if somebody didn’t know how to do something, they would teach them right there. Then the managers were nice, too.
Interviewer: Please describe the application and interview process.
Steak ‘n Shake Cashier: The Steak ‘n Shake on campus is with the school, so you would have to go through the school website. Then there’s a page that you go to, it’s called Aramark. You go there, fill out the application, and then they get it. Then they contact you through email and then you go through the whole process with them.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Steak ‘n Shake Cashier: They asked what my previous jobs were, what I did there. They asked me stuff about myself, reasons why I should work there, why I think I’m a good employee, stuff like that.
Interviewer: How were you notified that you received the job?
Steak ‘n Shake Cashier: Actually they told me right then and there that I got the job, actually. Then they emailed me all the information, because there was more stuff I had to do. I had to fill out some more paperwork. The place that I had to fill the paperwork out was actually on campus, so.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Steak ‘n Shake Cashier: Sometimes they have a rush, like a lot of people come in. People from campus, after class they’ll go there to get food, or late at night while they’re studying they’ll go there to get food. Just be prepared for it basically, because it’s a lot. It’s very hard.
Steak ‘n Shake Drive Thru Attendant Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Steak ‘n Shake Drive Thru Attendant: So I was drive through. So I handle most of the drive through orders and maybe help out with maybe preparing the food and the shakes for the most part. So it’s an all around thing. Basically have to know most of the stations. But I mostly took in the orders.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Steak ‘n Shake Drive Thru Attendant: It was friendly. The work environment was friendly. People were very helpful. I could say the staff was very helpful for the most part. So I think it was, yeah it was fine.
Interviewer: Please describe the application and interview process.
Steak ‘n Shake Drive Thru Attendant: It was simple online application, just filling in like the basic stuff like where’d you live, how would your hours be, stuff like that. It was a simple application.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Steak ‘n Shake Drive Thru Attendant: Basically, work forward questions, what I would want to do. So maybe my aspirations. So it was more of trying to maybe find my drive and how I would work or how I’d see things. It wasn’t really job based, how I think I do the job. It was more of how I am as a person, how that would look for them.
Interviewer: How were you notified that you received the job?
Steak ‘n Shake Drive Thru Attendant: So they send me notifications through email so it didn’t take long. Maybe a couple of days before they reached out to me.
Interviewer: What set you apart from other candidates?
Steak ‘n Shake Drive Thru Attendant: I feel like I’m the most flexible schedule since it was just me over the summer, so I really didn’t have anything to do. Other people have work, do other jobs or stuff like that.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Steak ‘n Shake Drive Thru Attendant: Be yourself. Definitely go to work on time and put your best effort into it.
Steak ‘n Shake Kitchen Crew Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Steak ‘n Shake Employee: I was back of the house help, I guess you would say – kitchen. I made milkshakes in high school.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Steak ‘n Shake Employee: It was good. All corporate jobs are pretty much standard work environment and professionalism, and whatever kind of individual rules. The corporation, Steak n’ Shake, was really baout the feel of the restaurant and the environment you’re trying to set. You couldn’t have facial hair, for one. You wore a bow tie, and there were certain elements of nostalgia that they tried to incorporate into their business plan.
Interviewer: What was your favorite part about working there?
Steak ‘n Shake Employee: I didn’t have a very good resume, and it was a job I could get in tough economic times. I was happy to have it then.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Steak ‘n Shake Employee: It’s just your standard interview process; they ask you how you can benefit the company, how the company can benefit you, listing short and long-term goals, and just your standard interview process.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Steak ‘n Shake Employee: Basically, they asked standard interview questions; short and long-term goals, your strengths and weaknesses as a worker, describe your work ethic, describe yourself – just questions you should be expecting going into the interview.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Steak ‘n Shake Employee: Dress to impress, which is dressing nicer than your competitors trying to get the same job as you. And, of course, know what they’re going to ask you before they ask you, such as long-term goals and things I have listed in previous questions.
Steak ‘n Shake Server Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Steak ‘n Shake Server: I was a server. I greeted people as they came in, would seat them, serve them their food, take their order, clean the table afterwards, and cash them out if I needed to.
Interviewer: Please describe a typical day as an employee.
Steak ‘n Shake Server: I’d get there, clock in, then head out. I get assigned to a zone, start taking over any tables for a server who is leaving, then throughout the day, take more tables. Eventually by the end, close everything down, clean up the zone, hand off your tables if you were going to leave to the next server taking over, and so on and so forth.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Steak ‘n Shake Server: The application is a one-sheet piece of paper. Fill it out, give it to them. Then they will call you, at least that’s what they did with me, and I went in, and it was just a normal interview. They asked me questions to see if I was a normal person.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Steak ‘n Shake Server: They asked a lot of questions just about yourself, like: “What are you doing with your life?”, “What are you planning to do?”, “Why do you want to work for Steak ‘n Shake?”, “Have you ever worked in the service industry before?”, “Have you ever been a server before?” They ask you probably one or two different unique questions, like: “If you had an elephant in a tree, how would you get it down?” That kind of thing.
Interviewer: What set you apart from other candidates?
Steak ‘n Shake Server: It probably helped that I was wearing a dress shirt and tie, dress pants and dress shoes, so I looked nice and professional. I was also clean-shaven. That, I think might have helped. That’d be probably the biggest thing. That, and I sounded professional as I was speaking with them.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Steak ‘n Shake Server: They tend to hire, at least the place I worked, people that are pretty normal and able to get along with others. If you’re able to get along with people and you’re nice for the interview, look nice, and speak intelligently, it’ll set you miles apart from the other people that apply there.
justin says:
all questions? and how much is the pay for first starters? im 17 and always wanted to work at a steak n shake.
Dianna says:
You will only start of at $2.13 an hour in my area. You will need to depend on tips.
Trunelljackson says:
I was called in for an interview for steak n shake and it went well. Then I was asked to come in to meet with another manager the next day. It also went great. Now I’m asked to come in for a third interview!!!! Do I have a good chance in getting the job?????