Hourly employees are the backbone of the restaurant and hospitality industry. They make up the vast majority of the workforce and are responsible for tasks ranging from cooking and cleaning to serving customers. Given their importance, it’s critical to retain good hourly employees. Unfortunately, restaurant employee turnover is notoriously high.

The Importance of Exit Interviews for Restaurant Operators

Manager conducting exit interview in a coffee shopIf you’re a restaurant owner or operator, it’s important to know what exit interview questions to ask an exiting employee. This will help you learn more about why they left and how you can improve your restaurant to keep other employees from leaving. Asking the right restaurant exit interview questions can also help you identify any problems with your restaurant that you may not be aware of. If a departing team member has a problem, other employees will likely have the same issues.

Many exit interviews are conducted over the phone or via email. This can be helpful because it allows the restaurant owner or operator to collect data from a larger number of employees. However, it’s also essential to conduct an in-person interview when possible. This will give you the chance to get more detailed and nuanced information from the employee.

When conducting exit interviews, be sure to ask about both the positive and negative aspects of working at your restaurant. This will help you get a complete view of your restaurant’s performance. It’s also important to be respectful and professional when conducting exit interviews. 

Remember, you’re trying to get valuable feedback from your employees, so it’s crucial to create a safe and welcoming environment to speak openly and honestly.

Top Exit Interview Questions to ask Restaurant Employees 

Text Interview Questions with underline on the notebook with a pencil aside.

While you could ask many exit interview questions, we’ve compiled a list of restaurant-specific exit interview questions that will gather honest feedback and give you the most insights into your restaurant’s performance and turnover.

Here are some of the top exit interview questions restaurant managers should ask during exit interviews:

  • What made you decide to leave?
  • Were you unhappy with your job or our restaurant in general?
  • Is there anything we could have done to keep you from going?
  • What didn’t you like about your job?
  • What did you like and didn’t like about the hiring process?
  • What was your favorite thing about working here?
  • What did you think of the company leadership?
  • What was your least favorite thing about working here?
  • Do you have any suggestions on how we could improve the restaurant?
  • Do you have any suggestions on how we could better support our employees?
  • Do you feel like you had enough opportunity to advance in your career?
  • What do you think we could do to reduce turnover in our restaurant?
  • Do you have any suggestions for how we could better train employees?
  • Do you feel like you had enough opportunity to advance in your position?
  • What do you think of our restaurant managers?
  • Do you believe our restaurant’s pay and benefits are fair?
  • Do you have any suggestions for how we could improve employee morale?
  • If you could change one thing about your job description, what would it be?
  • Do you have any other feedback or suggestions for us?
  • Did you feel like your workload was manageable?
  • What do you think of our restaurant’s management team?
  • Do you have any suggestions for how we could improve communication between employees and management?
  • What did you think of the company culture?
  • Do you feel like you were treated fairly by your co-workers?
  • Do you have any suggestions for how we could better support employees who are dealing with personal issues?

We hope that helps you determine which exit interview questions restaurant managers should ask.

Asking these restaurant exit interview questions will help you understand why your employees are leaving and what you can do to retain more of them.

Reduce Your Turnover Rate With HourWork

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If you’re a franchise owner, you know that finding and keeping good hourly workers can be a challenge. You want employees who will show up on time, work hard, and stick around for the long haul. But with the high turnover rate in the retail and hospitality industries, it can be tough to find qualified candidates who are also looking for a long-term commitment.

That’s where HourWork comes in. We specialize in connecting franchises with the hourly workers they need. New employees go through a rigorous screening process to ensure you hire the best of the best.

Plus, our automated check-ins and pulse surveys help you build employee loyalty and company culture.

With over 4,000 stores already on board, we’re confident that we can assist you in reducing turnover rates and running your franchise more efficiently and effectively.

Get in touch to discuss your hiring and retention needs.