Question 1

What do you think a barback does during a busy shift?

Accepted Answer

Plenty of people apply thinking it's an easy way to be near the bar. The manager wants to know you understand it's a support job with a lot of lifting and running. Name the core tasks: ice, restocking bottles and beer, glassware, garnish, keg changes, clearing empties Say the goal is that the bartenders never have to stop to fetch anything Mention cleanup during the shift, not just at close Show you know the job is physical and you're fine with that

Question 2

Have you ever changed a keg or a gas tank?

Accepted Answer

A dead keg in the middle of a rush stops beer sales at that tap. They want to know if they'll need to train you on it or if you can handle it on your first night. If yes, walk through it: shut off, disconnect the coupler, swap, reconnect, pull foam until it pours clear Mention checking the gas regulator gauge and knowing where the spare tanks live If no, say so plainly and say you'd like to be shown it on your first shift Mention lifting a full keg safely, using a dolly where there is one

Question 3

The bartender asks for three things at once. What do you do?

Accepted Answer

This happens every busy shift. They're checking how you prioritize and whether you'll ask rather than guess. Anything that stops service goes first: ice, the well spirit that's out, clean glasses for the drink being made Repeat the list back quickly so nothing gets missed Grab what you can in one trip to the back Tell the bartender what's coming and when

Question 4

How would you keep the ice well full on a packed night?

Accepted Answer

Ice is the most common thing a bar runs out of, and a bartender scooping from an empty well is slow and annoyed. It's a direct test of whether you'll stay ahead. Check the wells on every pass, not only when someone yells Top up before a rush, and before the level gets low Use the ice bucket or tote, never a glass, to scoop, so nothing breaks into the ice If glass does break near the well, the whole well gets melted and refilled

Question 5

What would you do if a glass broke in the ice well?

Accepted Answer

It's a safety issue and a classic bar question. Every experienced bartender knows the answer, so it's a quick way to check your background. Tell the bartender right away and stop anyone using that well Burn the ice: melt it out with hot water and empty the well completely Check and clean the well before refilling it Set up a temporary ice supply so the bar can keep serving from another well

Question 6

How do you handle a bartender who's short with you during a rush?

Accepted Answer

Rushes get tense and bartenders sometimes bark. They want someone who doesn't take it personally mid-shift and doesn't let it fester. Get what they need first, talk later Assume it's the rush, not you If it keeps happening, raise it calmly after close or with the manager Give a real example from a restaurant or kitchen if you have one

Question 7

What do you do when there's nothing to restock?

Accepted Answer

The difference between an average barback and a great one is what they do in the quiet minutes. Managers hate paying someone to lean on the wall. Polish and rack glassware Cut backup garnish, fill straws and napkins, wipe down the back bar Run empties and recycling so the bar doesn't clog up Check the walk-in and the beer cooler against the par list for the next wave

Question 8

Are you available for late nights, weekends and holidays?

Accepted Answer

A bar's busiest nights are the ones people want off. Barbacks are hired to cover exactly those shifts. Give your real availability, including close shifts Be clear about any fixed conflicts like school or another job Say how you get home after a late close Show you understand weekend nights are the job, not an extra

Question 9

What would you do if you saw a guest who looked like they'd had too much?

Accepted Answer

Barbacks often notice things bartenders miss because they're moving around the room. The bar's license depends on responsible service. Don't serve or confront the guest yourself Tell the bartender or manager quietly and point the guest out Mention any responsible alcohol service training you have, or that you'll get it Keep an eye out for safety, like a guest trying to drive

Question 10

Tell me about a time you worked a job on your feet for a long shift.

Accepted Answer

If you've never barbacked, this is how they judge whether you'll last. Kitchens, warehouses, moving jobs and retail stockrooms all count. Pick a specific job and a specific busy day Describe the physical side honestly: lifting, hours on your feet, heat or cold Say what kept you going and what you did to stay organized Link it back to what a barback does

Question 11

Why do you want to barback here?

Accepted Answer

They want to know if you've looked at the bar at all, and if you plan to stay long enough to be worth training. Mention something real about the place: the cocktail list, the beer program, how busy it gets Be honest if you want to bartend eventually, and say you want to learn their bar first Show you'll stick around

Barback interview questions and how to answer them

The 8 questions you will almost certainly get

A forgettable answer, and a better one

"What do you think a barback does during a busy shift?"

"Have you ever changed a keg or a gas tank?"

Questions to ask them

Need more Barback interviews to prep for?

The question	What they want to know	Your angle
What do you think a barback does during a busy shift?	Plenty of people apply thinking it's an easy way to be near the bar. The manager wants to know you understand it's a support job with a lot of lifting and running.	Name the core tasks: ice, restocking bottles and beer, glassware, garnish, keg changes, clearing empties
Have you ever changed a keg or a gas tank?	A dead keg in the middle of a rush stops beer sales at that tap. They want to know if they'll need to train you on it or if you can handle it on your first night.	If yes, walk through it: shut off, disconnect the coupler, swap, reconnect, pull foam until it pours clear
The bartender asks for three things at once. What do you do?	This happens every busy shift. They're checking how you prioritize and whether you'll ask rather than guess.	Anything that stops service goes first: ice, the well spirit that's out, clean glasses for the drink being made
How would you keep the ice well full on a packed night?	Ice is the most common thing a bar runs out of, and a bartender scooping from an empty well is slow and annoyed. It's a direct test of whether you'll stay ahead.	Check the wells on every pass, not only when someone yells
What would you do if a glass broke in the ice well?	It's a safety issue and a classic bar question. Every experienced bartender knows the answer, so it's a quick way to check your background.	Tell the bartender right away and stop anyone using that well
How do you handle a bartender who's short with you during a rush?	Rushes get tense and bartenders sometimes bark. They want someone who doesn't take it personally mid-shift and doesn't let it fester.	Get what they need first, talk later
What do you do when there's nothing to restock?	The difference between an average barback and a great one is what they do in the quiet minutes. Managers hate paying someone to lean on the wall.	Polish and rack glassware
Are you available for late nights, weekends and holidays?	A bar's busiest nights are the ones people want off. Barbacks are hired to cover exactly those shifts.	Give your real availability, including close shifts