Arby's interview questions centre on attitude, teamwork and work ethic, the qualities Arby's restaurant postings ask for. There's no single Arby's interview. Arby's careers site says many of its restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees, and "Each Arby's franchisee is an independent employer", solely responsible for hiring at its restaurants.
Below is what Arby's careers site and its restaurants' postings say, then 12 questions to prepare with how to answer each one for Arby's. Where nothing is published, we say so.
The Arby's hiring process at a glance
| Step | What happens | What Arby's publishes about timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Find a role | Search by role and location on careers.arbys.com, ask the "Ally" assistant, or go to a hiring event. | Not published |
| 2. Application | Click "Apply Now" on the listing. The postings we checked sent us to an application page on Workstream. | Not published |
| 3. Interview | Run by the restaurant, which may be a franchisee. | Not published |
| 4. Offer and training | Arby's careers site lists paid training and development. | Not published |
What is the Arby's hiring process?
You apply for a role at a specific restaurant, and that restaurant's employer handles the rest. Arby's says many restaurants are run by independent franchisees and that questions about employment at a franchised restaurant should go to that franchisee. So the restaurant you apply to, not Arby's head office, decides how it hires.
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How do you apply to Arby's?
Arby's careers site offers four ways in:
- Search jobs at careers.arbys.com/jobs by role and location, then click "Apply Now" on a listing.
- Ask Ally, Arby's recruitment assistant, which the site says can answer questions, help you find jobs and help you apply.
- Go to a hiring event. Arby's lists separate Team Member and Management hiring events.
- Join the Talent Community to be told about relevant openings.
Read the listing carefully, because requirements are set by each restaurant. One food prep posting we checked required applicants to be at least 18 and available from 8am; another team member posting didn't mention age at all.
What does Arby's look for?
The two restaurant postings we checked ask for:
- "Positive mental attitude (PMA)", named in both.
- Teamwork, "Strong work ethic and team player attitude".
- "Drive and determination" and a "Desire for personal and professional growth".
- Attention to detail, for a food prep role that involves slicing meats and vegetables, baking turnovers and roasting the beef.
- No experience needed. "Previous restaurant experience is a plus, but not required."
Arby's own purpose and values page describes its purpose as "Inspiring Smiles Through Delightful Experiences" and names six values: Dream big, Have fun, Work hard, Get it done, Play fair and Make a difference. Under Play fair it says: "We value honesty, integrity, respect, courage, and fairness."
What is the Arby's interview like?
Arby's doesn't publish an interview format, length or number of rounds, and the postings we checked don't describe one. When the restaurant contacts you, ask who you'll meet, how long to allow and whether there's a second conversation.
Does Arby's have an assessment?
Arby's doesn't publish any pre-hire test for restaurant roles, and the postings we checked don't mention one. If a restaurant asks you to complete one, it should tell you what it involves. If it shows you work scenarios and asks what you'd do, our guide to situational judgement tests explains that format.
Arby's interview questions and how to answer them
Arby's doesn't publish a question list, and each restaurant chooses its own. These are questions to prepare for, chosen to match what Arby's says matters: a positive attitude, its six values and serving guests.
Use the STAR structure (situation, task, action, result) for "tell me about a time" questions. Our STAR method guide shows how.
1. Why do you want to work at Arby's?
Be honest and specific. Mention something you like about the restaurant as a guest, then what you want from the job: a team to work with, learning the kitchen, or growth, which the postings list as an opportunity.
2. Tell me about yourself.
Keep it short: school or work, one thing you're good at, and why a fast-paced team job suits you. If this is your first job, sport, volunteering and family responsibilities all count.
3. How do you keep a positive attitude on a hard day?
Both postings ask for a "Positive mental attitude (PMA)", so expect this in some form. Give a real example of staying calm and friendly when things went wrong, and what you did to keep going.
4. Tell me about a time you worked hard to get something done.
This matches two Arby's values, Work hard and Get it done. Pick a moment where you finished a task under time pressure, and say what you did and what the result was.
5. How would you handle a guest who is unhappy with their order?
Walk through it in order: listen, apologise, put it right quickly and check they're happy. Say you'd involve a manager if you couldn't fix it yourself. Arby's purpose is about inspiring smiles, so end with the guest leaving happy.
6. Tell me about a time you worked as part of a team.
Arby's careers site says "we take pride in working together as one team". Describe what you contributed, how you helped someone else and what the team got done.
7. What would you do if you saw a co-worker cutting corners?
This is the Play fair value: honesty, integrity and courage. Say you'd raise it with them respectfully, and go to a manager if it affected food safety or guests.
8. How do you make sure your work is accurate?
The food prep posting asks for someone "Attentive to details". Talk about following recipes and checklists, double-checking orders and keeping your station clean.
9. How do you handle a fast-paced rush?
The postings describe fast-paced work. Explain how you stay organised, focus on one task at a time, and communicate with the team when you need help.
10. Tell me about a time you made a difference for someone.
Make a difference is one of the six values. A small example counts: helping a classmate, a neighbour or a customer, and what changed for them.
11. What is your availability?
Some roles have set start times, like the 8am food prep posting. Give availability you can keep, and an example of being reliable.
12. Where would you like to be in a year or two?
Dream big is an Arby's value, and its careers site says training can prepare you to lead a team or manage a restaurant. If you'd like to grow into shift leadership, say so, and ask what that path looks like at this restaurant.
How to prepare for an Arby's interview
- Read the listing for your restaurant. Requirements such as age and start times vary.
- Learn the six values. Have one example ready for Work hard, Get it done and Play fair at least.
- Prepare four or five STAR stories covering attitude, teamwork, guest service and a hard day. Practise them out loud, ideally in a mock interview.
- Know your availability before the interview and stick to it.
- Ask who the employer is if the listing doesn't say: Arby's or a franchisee.
- Bring two or three questions about training, shifts and how people move up.
Our list of behavioural interview questions gives you more to practise on.
Practising realistic work tasks
Interviews reward prepared stories. Some employers also use work-style tasks, and judgement in those improves with practice. Cohesyve, which publishes this guide, runs practice job simulations for your role, with a scored report on where you lost marks. It isn't affiliated with Arby's and doesn't use Arby's questions.
FAQs
What are Arby's values?
Arby's lists six: Dream big, Have fun, Work hard, Get it done, Play fair and Make a difference. Its purpose is "Inspiring Smiles Through Delightful Experiences".
Who hires at a franchised Arby's?
The franchisee. Arby's says each franchisee is an independent employer, solely responsible for hiring and other employment matters at its restaurants.
Do you need experience to work at Arby's?
Not for the team member posting we checked, which says previous restaurant experience is a plus but not required.
What age do you have to be to work at Arby's?
Arby's doesn't publish a company-wide minimum age. One food prep posting we checked required applicants to be at least 18, so check the listing for the role you want.
How long does Arby's take to hire?
Arby's doesn't publish a timeline. Ask the restaurant when you can expect to hear back after your interview.
Sources
Arby's own careers site, checked 27 October 2026:
- careers.arbys.com: Careers home
- careers.arbys.com: Purpose and values
- careers.arbys.com: Search careers
- careers.arbys.com: Join our Arby's Team (Versailles, KY) and Arby's 8AM Food Prep (Clearfield, PA), cited as examples