Food bank questions that show how a visit feels to the people you serve
Ask the people who use your food bank about their visit, from the welcome to the food in the parcel. Each question below comes with when to ask it and what the answer tells you.
What food bank survey questions tell you
Food bank survey questions ask the people who use your food bank whether they felt welcome, how they got there, whether the food fit what they can cook and what else would help. Volunteers see the line and the shelves. The people collecting food see the trip home, the kitchen and the days after, and their answers show where a visit falls short.
Ask at the end of a visit with a QR code at the exit, or with the survey open on a tablet at the welcome desk, and keep it to three or four questions. Use the Chat layout so the survey asks one question at a time, and turn on anonymous responses for the link or QR code survey, so nobody worries that an answer could affect their next visit.
Each written answer is read as it arrives, in any language, and given a theme, a sentiment and an urgency, so an answer about a household with no food left reaches a staff member first. Give it an owner in the inbox, and pass item requests to the team that orders stock.
- Questions
- 14
- Best asked
- At the end of a visit
- Industry
- Nonprofits
- Where to find them
- From library in the Usertick survey editor, on every plan
The 14 food banks questions, with when to ask each
Grouped by what they tell you. Use them as they are or change the wording.
How the visit felt
Start with how the visit felt and whether people felt welcome, then the steps around it, from the referral to the opening times.
- 14Emoji
How did today's visit feel?
How the visit felt, on a row of faces. Faces are quick to answer and work across languages, so put this first. Results shows each face with its share.
- 01Yes / No
Did you feel welcome when you arrived?
A plain yes or no on whether the person felt welcome on arrival. Read every No and give it an owner in the inbox, since the welcome decides whether someone comes back when they need to.
- 02Multiple choice
How did you get to us today?
Names how the person got to the food bank, from walking to a ride. Results shows the share of each. A large share on foot or by bus argues for lighter parcels.
- 08Multiple choice
How well do the opening times fit your week?
How well the opening times fit the person's week. Results shows the share for not at all, somewhat and very well. A large share for not at all makes the case for an evening session.
- 04Customer effort
How easy was it to get a referral?
A customer effort score for getting a referral. A low score points at the referral partners or the paperwork. Results shows the average and the share who found it easy.
- 07Text
What would make your visit easier?
An open question on what would make a visit easier. Each answer arrives with its theme, in any language, so answers about waiting, carrying or opening times are easy to filter.
The food in the parcel
These questions show whether the parcel fits the household and the kitchen it goes to, a guide for what to stock and how much to give.
- 12Stars
How would you rate the choice you were given?
A star rating for the choice the person was given. Results shows the average and the share who rated 4 or higher. Choice matters for dignity, and this score shows whether you offer enough.
- 11Matrix
How well did each part of the parcel suit you?
Rates fresh food, canned food, bread and toiletries in one grid. The heat map shows which part of the parcel suits people least, with an average per row.
- 06Big scale
How well did the food fit what you can cook at home?
How well the food fit what the person can cook at home, from 1 to 10. Low scores can point at items that need an oven, a freezer or a long cooking time.
- 05Ruler
How many days did the food last?
How many days the last parcel lasted, on a ruler. Ask it of returning visitors. Results shows the median and the middle half, so read it with household size before you change parcel sizes.
- 03Multiple choice
Which items do you need most?
Lets people pick every item they need most, from fresh food to pet food. Results shows bars per item, a ready list for your next appeal.
- 10Dropdown
How many people are you collecting food for?
How many people the food is for, from one person to five or more. Use it to split the other answers, since a parcel that lasts one person a week won't last a family.
Help beyond food
Ask what else would help and what people want others to know, so you can bring in partners and tell the story of your work with care.
- 09Multiple choice
What else would help right now?
Lets people pick other help they need right now, from bills to finding work. Results shows bars per option, a list to take to advice partners who could join a session.
- 13Text
What do you want people to understand about using a food bank?
An open question on what people want others to understand about using a food bank. Treat these answers with care, and share them in public only with permission and without names.
Tips for asking about food banks
Small choices that get honest, useful answers.
- 01
Keep it short and kind
Ask three or four questions in plain words, and say at the start that answers don't affect anyone's support.
- 02
Let people stay unnamed
Share the survey by link or QR code with anonymous responses on, and leave out contact questions, so people can answer freely.
- 03
Offer a way without a phone
Keep a tablet at the welcome desk with the survey open, or have a volunteer read the questions aloud for anyone who prefers that.
- 04
Act on what people need
Turn the most picked items into your next donation appeal, and tell visitors what changed because of their answers.
Add these questions to a survey
From the library to the first answers.
- 1
Open the library
In the Usertick survey editor, choose From library, filter by industry and topic, and add several questions at once.
- 2
Or paste your own list
Paste questions reads up to 10 questions from any text on Free, 100 on Starter and 200 on Pro and above, keeps your wording and picks an answer type for each.
- 3
Choose where it runs
Show the survey on your website, send it by email, share its link and QR code, or switch it to a conversation.
- 4
Read the answers
Results counts every score and choice, and Usertick reads each written answer and files it by topic, on every plan.
Templates and more questions about food banks
Full surveys that ask about the same things, and neighboring topics in the library.
Templates
Browse all templatesFrequently asked questions
With a QR code at the exit or on a card in the parcel, or a tablet at the welcome desk. The hosted page opens on any phone, and the Chat layout asks one question at a time.
Yes, on a website, link or QR code survey with anonymous responses on: no user ID, traits or visitor ID is stored. Surveys sent through Usertick email aren't anonymous.
Three or four: how the visit felt, whether the person felt welcome, the items they need most and one open question. Save the rest for an occasional longer survey.
Run the survey for a week or two a few times a year, so regular visitors aren't asked at every visit and you can compare one round with the next.
Yes. The question library comes with every plan, the free plan included, and the free plan covers 150 responses a month across your surveys.
Yes. Once a question is in your survey, reword it, change its options or its answer type, and add logic to skip it for some answers.
Yes. The library is translated into Usertick's built-in languages, and in any other language it shows in English for you to translate.
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