Steak ‘n Shake Manager Interview Questions
& Process

I applied online, and about a week later, HR called to schedule an in-person interview with the district manager. That interview happened the following week and went pretty well, with no super tough questions. After about an hour, the manager mentioned I'd hear from HR about a job preview. The next week, HR called, and I did the preview at a local store the very next day. It involved watching staff, helping customers, and getting a general feel for the job. I got good feedback, and the store manager seemed to think I'd be back soon. Then, I got an email from HR saying they chose other candidates, with no real reason why. It was frustrating because all the feedback was positive, and at both the interview and preview, the managers acted like I already had the job.

A head hunter contacted me about this role after seeing my application online. They offered a position with a lower title than I was currently working, but with a higher salary. The process included two calls with the head hunter, two with the district manager, a formal interview, and a job preview. The number of calls was influenced by my demanding schedule at my previous job (working 6-7 days a week). I ended up receiving $1000 more than my requested salary. The process also involved a background check and a drug test. It took about 2 weeks from the initial call to the job offer, partly due to the restrictions I had on my start date. I began the job two weeks after the offer, on my first available day.

I went through 4 main steps. First was a chat with the GM. Then, a panel interview with the GM and district manager. After that, I had a phone chat with an HR talent scout. The last interview was with the VP of operations and it was super tough. They really dug into my motivations, like why I left the food industry and why I wanted to leave my current job. After that, I had to do a background check and give them professional references. Once all that was cleared, they offered me the job.