Be polite, smile, and make eye contact. These simple behaviors show respect, friendliness, and confidence. Politeness demonstrates you can work well with customers and coworkers; a genuine smile makes you seem approachable and positive; and steady (but not staring) eye contact signals attentiveness and confidence. Together they create a good first impression and help the interviewer trust that you’ll provide friendly service on the job.

Good luck — be punctual, bring a copy of your resume, and have a few brief examples ready of times you worked well in a team or helped a customer.

I emphasized teamwork, customer service, and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment because these three strengths match what McDonald’s values and what the job requires. Teamwork shows you can cooperate with coworkers to keep operations running smoothly during busy shifts. Strong customer service demonstrates you care about guest experience—greeting customers, handling orders accurately, and resolving small issues quickly. Comfort in a fast-paced setting signals you can stay efficient and calm under pressure, maintain speed and quality during peak times, and adapt to changing tasks. Together, these skills help ensure quick service, happy customers, and a productive crew.

Sources: McDonald’s career pages and common fast-food job competency guides (e.g., Indeed, Glassdoor).

Preparing answers to “Why do you want this job?”, “Can you handle busy shifts?”, and “Describe a time you helped a customer or worked on a team” is a smart choice because these questions target what hiring managers care about most for frontline roles:

• Show motivation and fit: “Why do you want this job?” lets you show enthusiasm, reliability, and how the job matches your goals (flexible hours, teamwork, skill-building). Employers want people who’ll stick around and represent the brand positively.
• Demonstrate stress management and stamina: “Can you handle busy shifts?” lets you prove you can stay calm, prioritize, and work efficiently under pressure — essential in fast-paced service jobs. Give brief examples of past busy work or strategies you use (stay organized, communicate, take short breaks when possible).
• Provide evidence of customer service and teamwork: “Describe a time you helped a customer or worked on a team” asks for concrete behavior rather than vague claims. A short story shows you can communicate, solve problems, and cooperate — all critical at McDonald’s.

Tip: Use short, specific examples (what the situation was, what you did, and the positive outcome). Keep answers positive, concise, and practice them once or twice before the interview.

Sources: Common hiring guidance from retail/fast-food recruitment practices and behavioral interview technique (STAR method).

Explanation: Wearing business casual or smart casual shows respect for the interviewer and signals you take the job seriously. Clean, wrinkle-free clothes and tidy grooming make a positive first impression and suggest you’re reliable and professional. For a McDonald’s interview, aim for simple, well-fitting pieces (e.g., polo or button-down, clean jeans or slacks, closed-toe shoes) that are comfortable for a restaurant environment. Avoid loud logos, strong fragrances, and overly casual items like ripped jeans or athletic wear.

Sending a brief thank-you message or email after your interview shows politeness, reinforces your interest, and helps you stand out. Keep it short (1–3 sentences): thank the interviewer for their time, mention one thing you appreciated or a skill you’d bring, and restate that you look forward to hearing back. If you have contact info, send it within 24 hours; if not, handshake/leave politely and ask how decisions will be communicated.

Example: “Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. I enjoyed learning about the team and am excited about the opportunity to contribute. I look forward to hearing from you.”

Bringing a copy of your resume shows you’re prepared and professional — it helps the interviewer quickly see your work history, skills, and availability. References give the manager confidence in your reliability and work ethic; they can verify details and speak to your teamwork, punctuality, or customer service. Both items make a strong, organized impression and can speed up hiring decisions if they like you.

Tip: Bring one or two clean printed copies of your resume and a simple reference list with names, job titles, phone numbers, and brief notes on your relationship to each person.

Short explanation for the selection: I suggested focusing on punctuality, friendly attitude, and basic knowledge of the role because McDonald’s prioritizes reliability, customer service, and teamwork. Emphasizing willingness to learn and flexibility shows you’re trainable and a good fit for fast-paced shifts. Briefly mentioning past experience (if any) or school activities demonstrates responsibility without needing formal work history.

Interview tips:

• Arrive 10–15 minutes early and dress neat/casual (clean shirt, tidy hair).
• Greet the interviewer with a smile and eye contact.
• Highlight teamwork, punctuality, and reliability. Example: “I’m good at working with others and showing up on time.”
• If asked about cash handling or food safety, be honest about what you know and say you’re eager to learn.
• Prepare one short example of a time you helped someone or worked in a team (school project, sports, community).
• Ask about next steps and show appreciation: “Thank you for your time.”

Ask at the end (example): “What is the typical training timeline for new crew members, and how long are typical shifts?”

I’m available to work weekdays after 3:00 PM and anytime on weekends (Saturday and Sunday). I can take evening shifts and early mornings on weekends if needed. I’m also able to cover extra shifts with reasonable notice and can work holidays when scheduled.

I am reliable and punctual — I arrive on time and communicate promptly if anything changes. I understand the importance of showing up for scheduled shifts, completing tasks consistently, and working cooperatively with teammates. Employers can count on me to follow procedures, stay focused during busy periods, and maintain a positive attitude while learning and improving on the job.

If you’d like, I can tailor this to specific days/times you actually have open.

Being punctual shows respect for the team’s time, reliability, and that you can be trusted to open/close or hit scheduled shifts. Arriving on time and ready also reduces stress for coworkers and lets you make the best impression.

Being proactive demonstrates initiative and willingness to learn. Look for small tasks, offer help, and follow cues from the trainer—this shows you can handle busy shifts and will fit into the fast‑paced environment.

Asking for feedback signals that you want to improve and value the trainer’s experience. It helps you correct mistakes quickly, learn expected procedures, and leaves a positive impression that you’re coachable and committed to doing the job well.

Together these habits increase the chance you’ll be offered a position after the trial and help you succeed if hired.

Arriving 10–15 minutes early shows punctuality and respect for others’ time, reduces stress so you can focus and breathe, and gives you a few minutes to check your appearance and collect your thoughts. It also demonstrates reliability—an important trait for shift work—and prevents being late due to small, avoidable delays. If you arrive too early, wait nearby rather than inside to avoid disrupting staff.