First Watch Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 109 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Which role are you interviewing for?
8 roles · 109 reportsCandidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at First Watch.
First Watch
SOX Analyst
Mid Difficult Negative experience No offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Onsite Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
Things moved super fast from a phone screen to a long 4-hour onsite with lunch with the VP and a tour of the office, all within two weeks. The VP was really into it, sold the company culture hard, and even gave me a ride back. But the biggest joke was how they handled things after. HR totally ghosted after missing three deadlines. Then they rejected me for two totally opposite reasons: said I didn't have enough SOX experience, which they never brought up before, and then claimed I wasn't a culture fit because my professional follow-up emails were apparently 'not COO-appropriate.' The job's been posted again with four different titles but the same tasks, which just shows how disorganized they are. My advice: if a VP backs you but HR rejects you for asking basic questions, you're probably avoiding a really toxic place. Keep records of everything.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you describe your background with access reviews and how you approach collaboration?
First Watch
Dishwasher
Entry Easy Positive experience No offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Background check
Interview formats
Behavioral
It was a very easy and quick interview process. They asked basic questions about dealing with customers and experience. It was over very fast.
Confirmed questions3 questions
- What is your understanding of hospitality?
- Tell me about how you handle customer interactions.
- What experience do you have in this field?
First Watch
Server
Entry Average Negative experience Accept offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Onsite Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical Other
The process involved interviewing with two managers. The first was the assistant manager, who made me feel uncomfortable with their intense stare. The general manager was even worse, reacting poorly to questions by looking at me like I was stupid and walking away. Despite these issues, I was offered the job and accepted it. However, I regretted not trusting my initial feelings about the managers' treatment of employees, which seemed dismissive, while they themselves expected respect and threw tantrums. It felt like too much drama for minimum wage.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Estimate the number of tennis balls that could fit into my car.
First Watch
Assistant Manager
Manager Difficult Positive experience Accept offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Presentation
The interview process was super professional, very thorough, and genuinely a breath of fresh air. Honestly, the interviews I went through were some of the best I've ever had. The team members were so passionate and dedicated, it really reinforced my love for hospitality and made me want to keep growing in my career.
Confirmed questions1 question
- What unique value do you offer us?
First Watch Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from First Watch interview reports.
“Are there any limits to what you can lift or any disabilities you have?”
Read reports →“What animal would you choose to be, and what's your reasoning behind that choice?”
Read reports →“How do you go about requesting time off?”
Read reports →“Is it possible for you to work every weekend?”
Read reports →“Are you acquainted with any current employees at First Watch?”
Read report →“How would you handle it if the previous shift left the kitchen messy?”
Read report →“If I were to get hired, when would you be able to start?”
Read report →“How would you handle a situation where another server approached a table in your section while you were occupied?”
Read report →“Can you reliably make it to your work shifts?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 109 First Watch interview reports.