10 tips for employers hiring a lot of food service majors, recent grads

When hiring dozens or even hundreds of candidates for food service jobs, employers need a fast and efficient recruitment process that ensures candidates have the necessary skills, work ethic, and customer service mindset. Food service roles—such as cooks, servers, baristas, and cashiers—often require a mix of soft skills like teamwork and communication, as well as technical abilities like food preparation and safety knowledge. Employers can use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter candidates based on availability, prior experience, and required certifications, such as food handler permits. Posting job openings on platforms like College Recruiter, which connects early career talent with meaningful opportunities, can help attract a large pool of candidates eager to enter the food service industry. Additionally, practical assessments, such as speed and accuracy tests for cashiers or kitchen trials for cooks, can help employers quickly identify top talent.

To efficiently process high volumes of applicants, food service employers can host in-person or virtual hiring events, walk-in interviews, and on-the-spot job offers to speed up the selection process. Group interviews, trial shifts, and scenario-based role-playing exercises can help evaluate candidates’ ability to handle peak rush hours, customer complaints, and multitasking under pressure. Structured interviews focusing on behavioral questions can reveal a candidate’s approach to teamwork, conflict resolution, and customer service. Once hired, a well-organized onboarding process that includes hands-on training, safety protocols, and mentorship opportunities ensures that new hires adapt quickly to the fast-paced environment and contribute to smooth operations from day one.

We recently asked 10 hiring experts for their suggestions for employers who plan to hire dozens or even hundreds of candidates for restaurant and other food service roles.

• Create A Welcoming Workplace
• Prioritize Cultural Alignment
• Hire For Attitude, Not Experience
• Value Customer Experience Passion
• Don’t Just Hire Warm Bodies
• Test Basic Nutrition Knowledge
• Seek Composure Under Pressure
• Consider Uniform Turnover Costs
• Prioritize Hospitality And Impact
• Train Right To Retain Talent

Create A Welcoming Workplace

Food service hiring moves fast, but the worst thing an employer can do is treat interviews like a checklist. People take jobs for money. They stay because they feel like they belong. If a company hires without making the workplace look like somewhere people want to stay, turnover never stops.

One hiring manager I know started interviewing right on the floor instead of in a back office. Candidates saw the energy, met the team, and got a feel for the pace. Retention jumped overnight. The ones who stayed already knew what they were walking into, and the ones who wouldn’t have lasted never took the job. That one shift saved thousands in wasted training hours. Hiring is more than filling shifts. The second someone clocks in, they need to want to come back.

Hiring fast is fine. Hiring smart keeps people around.

Erin Hendricks, President and Owner, Sammy’s Milk

Prioritize Cultural Alignment

The recruiting process of massive-scale food service might appear as a simple numbers-based activity; however, organizations make a critical error when they neglect cultural alignment during selection. Employers who seek fast position-filling methods experience significant staff turnover because they ignore cultural matches during recruitment. You must pause before hiring to find employees that match the specific attitude and work ethic needed throughout your business structure.

Organizing group hiring events that simulate work conditions allows job seekers to connect with each other in realistic workplace scenarios. Witnesses emerge who demonstrate natural leadership skills, strong performance under demanding conditions, and an appropriate workplace mentality. The ability to handle stressful shifts along with pleasant professional behavior remains a more important quality than crafting fast lattes. Hiring employees based on personality combined with skills training leads to staff retention, which brings back loyal customers.

Wes Wakefield, Founder & CEO, Pro Coffee Gear

Hire For Attitude, Not Experience

One mistake employers make when hiring high-volume candidates for food service jobs is focusing only on experience instead of attitude and adaptability.

A friend of mine once managed a hiring push for a fast-paced food service operation. They initially prioritized candidates with previous restaurant experience, thinking it would reduce training time. What they didn’t anticipate was the high turnover—many hires were skilled but burned out quickly or struggled in a team-driven environment.

After seeing the constant cycle of hiring and rehiring, they shifted their approach to hiring for attitude first. Instead of just asking about past jobs, they started giving short, real-world problem scenarios in interviews—like handling a rush or resolving a customer complaint. This let them see who had the right mindset: quick thinking, teamwork, and a strong work ethic. The result? A workforce that stayed longer, worked better together, and dramatically improved service quality.

For any employer hiring at scale, the lesson is simple: skills can be trained, but the right attitude is priceless. Prioritize adaptability, problem-solving, and a customer-first mindset, and you’ll build a team that not only fills roles but keeps your business running strong.

Gauri Manglik, CEO and Co-Founder, Instrumentl

Value Customer Experience Passion

Look for candidates who demonstrate a genuine passion for customer experience, not just those with the right skills. In the food industry, customer service and creating a positive atmosphere are what set businesses apart. I always look for people who understand the importance of leaving a lasting impression on customers, even if it’s a brief interaction. Those who are naturally inclined to go the extra mile, even in high-pressure situations, are invaluable.

The ability to connect with customers and maintain composure in busy settings is something that can’t always be taught. When hiring, I avoid focusing solely on technical experience like cooking or serving skills. Instead, I prioritize emotional intelligence, like how a person handles stressful moments or their enthusiasm for creating an excellent customer experience. Candidates who show they can handle both the technical and human aspects of the job tend to thrive and contribute positively to the team dynamic.

Jehann Biggs, President & Owner, In2Green

Don’t Just Hire Warm Bodies

Don’t just hire warm bodies—hire for attitude. In food service, a bad hire doesn’t just mess up orders, they wreck the whole vibe. Skills can be taught, but hustle, teamwork, and not snapping under pressure? That’s what really matters. 

One move that works? Skip the boring interviews and do a quick trial shift. Watching how someone handles a rush tells you way more than a resume ever will. 

And move fast. Good candidates have options, and nobody’s waiting weeks for a callback. Hire quick, train well, and make sure the job doesn’t suck—because happy employees serve happy customers.

Justin Belmont, Founder & CEO, Prose

Test Basic Nutrition Knowledge

Hiring for food service jobs requires more than just filling positions quickly. A common mistake is overlooking basic nutrition knowledge, even for non-cooking roles. Employees handling food should understand how to avoid cross-contamination, maintain proper storage temperatures, and recognize common allergens. A cafe hiring 20 baristas who don’t know that oat milk can still contain gluten risks customer safety. Training after hiring helps, but selecting candidates with prior knowledge or strong attention to detail reduces mistakes.

A simple screening step can prevent costly errors. Include a basic food safety quiz in the application process with questions like, “What is the minimum internal temperature for cooked chicken?” or “Which allergen is commonly found in soy sauce?” Fast-food chains bringing on 100 workers in a month can integrate this into online applications—those who pass move to interviews.

Renato Fernandes, Clinical Nutritionist, Saude Pulso

Seek Composure Under Pressure

When hiring for high-volume food service jobs, you’ve got to look beyond just experience. You want someone who can stay calm under pressure and handle the chaos that comes with busy shifts. There’s always something unexpected, a rush of customers, a mistake in the kitchen, and that’s when you really see what someone’s made of. The best candidates can think on their feet, manage multiple tasks at once, and still provide great service. If they get flustered or stressed, it can really throw off the flow of the whole shift, so it’s key to find someone who stays composed no matter what.

It’s just as important to consider how well they’ll fit in with the team. In a busy environment, you need people who work well together, communicate, and jump in to help each other out when needed. I’ve seen teams fall apart when one person doesn’t gel with everyone else, so it’s definitely something worth paying attention to. During interviews, you could throw in some role-playing or real-world scenarios to get a better feel for how they’ll handle the pressure and interact with others. It’s about finding someone who can keep the energy positive and help the team get through the busiest shifts.

Shaun Bettman, Chief Executive Officer, Eden Emerald Mortgages

Consider Uniform Turnover Costs

One mistake employers make when hiring high-volume food service workers? They ignore hidden costs—specifically, uniform and equipment turnover.

Hiring at scale means onboarding fast, but the real cost isn’t just wages. New hires often require uniforms, training materials, and equipment like non-slip shoes or aprons. When turnover is high, those costs multiply. Imagine hiring 50 workers in a month, only for 20 to quit within weeks. That’s 20 wasted sets of uniforms, name tags, and training hours. If an employer isn’t factoring that into their budget, they’re burning cash without realizing it.

The solution? Make candidates invest something upfront—whether it’s requiring them to bring their own shoes, pay a small deposit on uniforms, or complete a trial shift before getting fully onboarded. When employees have skin in the game, they take the job more seriously. A small tweak like this can save thousands in unnecessary rehires and wasted onboarding expenses.

Zarina Bahadur, CEO and Founder, 123 Baby Box

Prioritize Hospitality And Impact

One major mistake employers make when hiring high-volume candidates for food service jobs is prioritizing speed over genuine hospitality. In an industry where customer experience defines success, soft skills like adaptability, emotional intelligence, and communication are just as important as efficiency.

I’ve experienced this firsthand through my work as a food and luxury travel reviewer, partnering with international luxury hotels and Michelin-level restaurants. Staying at five-star properties and dining at some of the world’s best restaurants has shown me that top-tier hospitality isn’t just about serving food—it’s about creating an experience that leaves a lasting impression.

Employers in food service should hire candidates who understand guest interaction, brand presentation, and social media impact. A great hire isn’t just someone who works efficiently but someone who elevates the customer experience generates organic word-of-mouth marketing, and turns a one-time guest into a loyal advocate.

A smarter hiring approach? Go beyond the resume. Look for team players with a service-driven mindset, problem-solving abilities, and an understanding of modern hospitality trends. These qualities define the difference between a forgettable dining experience and one that stands out in a competitive industry.

Susye Weng-Reeder, CEO | Google Verified Public Figure | Author | Creator, Susye Weng-Reeder, LLC

Train Right To Retain Talent

Hire fast, but train right, and you’ll keep more employees long enough to make a difference. If you’re hiring high-volume candidates for food service, don’t treat them as disposable workers because they won’t stick around if you do. Too many food service employers assume high turnover is inevitable, so they rush hiring, skip proper onboarding, and expect workers to figure things out on their own. Employees quit within weeks, frustrated by unclear expectations and feeling undervalued.

Invest in training from day one. Even a simple, structured onboarding process, shadowing an experienced worker, getting clear instructions on workflow, and understanding company expectations make employees more confident and less likely to leave after their first bad shift. People don’t quit food service just because of the work itself; they quit because they feel thrown into chaos with no support.

Robbin Schuchmann, Co-Founder, EOR Overview