Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: HACCP • ServSafe • Health Code

Expeditor (Expo)

Term from Restaurants industry explained for recruiters

An Expeditor, often called "Expo" for short, is a crucial role in restaurant kitchens that acts as the bridge between the kitchen and serving staff. They're like traffic controllers for food, making sure all dishes for a table come out at the right time, are properly prepared, and look presentable before reaching customers. This position helps maintain smooth operations during busy service times by coordinating orders, quality checking dishes, and ensuring food gets to the right tables while it's still hot and fresh.

Examples in Resumes

Managed quality control and timing of 200+ dishes per shift as Expeditor in high-volume restaurant

Coordinated kitchen and service staff as Expo during peak dinner hours

Supervised food preparation timing and presentation as Kitchen Expeditor

Typical job title: "Expeditors"

Also try searching for:

Kitchen Expeditor Food Expediter Kitchen Coordinator Line Coordinator Kitchen Expo Service Expeditor

Where to Find Expeditors

Professional Networks

Job Boards

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you handle a situation where multiple large parties arrive simultaneously during peak hours?

Expected Answer: A senior expeditor should explain their strategy for prioritizing orders, coordinating with kitchen stations, and maintaining quality while managing high volume. They should mention communication systems and backup plans.

Q: How would you train new expeditors while maintaining efficient service?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate leadership skills, explaining how to break down training into manageable steps while keeping service running smoothly, and how to identify and develop key skills in new staff.

Mid Level Questions

Q: How do you ensure food quality standards are maintained during rush periods?

Expected Answer: Should describe specific quality checks, common issues to watch for, and how they balance speed with maintaining standards.

Q: What systems do you use to track multiple orders and timing?

Expected Answer: Should explain their method for organizing tickets, coordinating with different kitchen stations, and ensuring all components of meals come together at the right time.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What are the basic responsibilities of an expeditor?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain the role of coordinating between kitchen and servers, basic quality checks, and understanding timing of different dishes.

Q: How do you handle special dietary requests or modifications?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate understanding of common dietary restrictions, ability to communicate modifications clearly, and importance of double-checking special orders.