An Interview Question

Today I interviewed with someone last week for the Cafe.

Question: How would you handle a situation where people are lined up for coffee, someone comes in wanting to buy a bike, someone else is there to pick up a bike, someone else has a flat tire and the cash register freezes up.

Answer: This afternoon when I was barista, a similar situation unfolded. Someone ordered two pourover coffees, someone else came in to demo two bikes, someone else came in to buy two tubes, a couple came in after being out of town for three months and wanted a drink and to say hi after the long time away. Everyone who'd been sitting with their drinks needed to pay prior to leaving. I secretly wished they'd just leave, as uninterrupted time with a customer is always more valuable than the few dollars I'd be handed.

Answer?! There is a way to handle this situation as the situation somehow went away, but it's a blur. Dishes didn't get washed but everyone, somehow, got taken care of. I think the candidate's response was good and somehow thinking about his answer to the question made me a bit more conscious of the situation as it was unfolding. Maintain composure, perspective and acknowledge the importance of the time of each customer who is waiting.