I picked a place I actually go to regularly, which helped, but I spent too long setting up context about the restaurant itself before getting to any real insight.
Treat the restaurant as a product and apply a structured product improvement framework: start by defining the goal and user segments, then identify pain points through the customer journey, prioritize using impact vs. effort, and propose specific solutions with success metrics. Show empathy for both customers and the business, and tie improvements to measurable outcomes.
Pro tip: Anchor your answer in a clear product vision and explicitly state trade-offs (e.g., speed vs. quality, cost vs. experience) to demonstrate strategic thinking. Avoid generic suggestions like 'better service'—instead, quantify the problem and expected impact.
Clarify what 'improve' means: is it increasing revenue, customer satisfaction, or retention? Identify key user segments (e.g., regulars, first-timers, families) and their distinct needs.
Walk through the end-to-end experience (discovery, reservation, arrival, ordering, dining, payment, post-visit) and pinpoint friction points or unmet needs for each segment.
Use a prioritization framework (e.g., impact vs. effort, RICE) to select the most promising improvements based on potential impact, feasibility, and alignment with business goals.
Suggest concrete product or service changes (e.g., digital ordering, loyalty program, menu optimization) and define success metrics (e.g., NPS, repeat visit rate, average order value).
Outline a plan to test improvements (e.g., A/B test, pilot) and iterate based on feedback, emphasizing a data-driven and customer-centric approach.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.