Bartender phone screen questions
Bartender screens come down to volume, cocktail knowledge, alcohol service responsibility, and the nights. A phone screen settles the logistics and tells you who handles a cut-off without a fight, before you spend a shift on a trial.
Eight questions, and what to listen for
Ask them in this order. The first two sort the pool; the middle ones show judgment; the last ones settle logistics before anyone books an interview.
- 1
Tell me about the bars you have worked: type of place, volume, and how many bartenders on a busy night.
Listen for: Concept and numbers. A high-volume club bar and a craft cocktail bar are different jobs.
- 2
Walk me through how you make an Old Fashioned and a Margarita.
Listen for: Specs without hesitation: spirit, sweetener, bitters, citrus, dilution. Small house variations are fine; blanking is not.
- 3
How do you handle a guest who has had too much and wants another drink?
Listen for: Slow service, offer water or food, cut off politely, involve the manager, arrange a ride. Serving to avoid conflict is a red flag.
- 4
How do you check IDs, and what do you do when one looks wrong?
Listen for: Checks every guest who looks under the house cutoff, knows what to look for, refuses politely and gets a manager.
- 5
Do you hold a current responsible alcohol service certification like TIPS or ServSafe Alcohol?
Listen for: Yes with the program, or a willingness to get it. Some states require one to serve.
- 6
How do you keep a full bar top happy while service tickets keep printing?
Listen for: Acknowledging guests quickly, batching drinks, working clean. Listen for a rhythm, not a slogan.
- 7
How do you handle cash, comps, and closing out your drawer?
Listen for: Counting accurately, logging comps, never giving away drinks without approval. Loose answers about pours and comps cost money.
- 8
Are late nights through close and weekends workable, and when could you start?
Listen for: A direct yes and a date. Closing at 2am four nights a week is the job.
Red flags on the call
- Cannot give specs for a classic cocktail when claiming craft experience
- Would keep serving a visibly intoxicated guest
- Casual about ID checks
- Loose about comps or pouring for friends
Keep it short
Five questions, four to six minutes. Bartender candidates are usually applying to several jobs at once; a screen they can finish between shifts gets finished. Save the deeper questions for the interview, where the candidate has already answered these once.
Ask whether the candidate can perform an essential task with or without reasonable accommodation; do not ask about disability or medical history. Avoid age, family, religion, national origin and other protected characteristics. See the EEOC's hiring-question guidance.
Run this exact screen for every bartender who applies
Create a role in PhoneScreen with these five questions, share the link, and every candidate gets the same screen the moment they call. You read the scorecards. First 10 screens are free.
- 1Tell me about the bars you have worked: type of place and volume.
- 2Walk me through how you make an Old Fashioned and a Margarita.
- 3How do you handle a guest who has had too much and wants another drink?
- 4Do you hold a current responsible alcohol service certification like TIPS or ServSafe Alcohol?
- 5Are late nights through close and weekends workable, and when could you start?
Common questions
Is alcohol server training required? +
It depends on the state, and sometimes the city or county. Some states require responsible beverage service training for everyone who serves alcohol, others only for managers, and some leave it to the employer. Many insurers ask for it either way. Check your state's alcohol control board, ask on the screen, and verify the card before the first shift.
Should we still do a trial shift? +
Yes. The phone screen confirms experience, judgment, and schedule. A short paid trial shows speed and how they work a bar top. Screening first means you only run trials for candidates who already fit.
Screening for restaurants · More roles: line cook, restaurant server, dishwasher, barista, restaurant host, forklift operator · Why the same questions for everyone