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Cafe Rio

Full company profile

uuid00086mj

Namestring
Cafe Rio
Websiteurl
caferio.com
Company typeenum
Private
Founded yearint
1997
Descriptiontext

Cafe Rio is a privately held fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 1997 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. The company operates under the DBA "Cafe Rio Fresh Modern Mexican" and serves individual consumers seeking made-from-scratch modern Mexican cuisine through company-owned and/or franchised physical restaurant locations distributed across a regional U.S. footprint. With a headcount in the 1,001–5,000 range, Cafe Rio operates as a multi-unit chain with the operational scale typical of an established fast-casual brand nearing three decades in market.

The company's go-to-market is direct-to-consumer: guests purchase freshly prepared Mexican food at the point of sale in its restaurants, with no evidence in the input of B2B catering contracts, enterprise accounts, or wholesale distribution channels. Its revenue model is straightforward transaction-based restaurant sales (food and beverage) paid by individual diners. Customer segmentation is horizontal, targeting the broad consumer demographic that wants quick, quality Mexican food in a fast-casual setting. Marketing channels and digital/app presence are not documented in the available sources, which represents an information gap relative to peer fast-casual operators that typically maintain mobile ordering and loyalty platforms.

Cafe Rio is led by CEO Mike Burns, with founders Patricia Stanley and Steve Stanley continuing to be associated with the brand. The company appears to be actively operating as of mid-2026 based on recent executive movement. No public funding rounds, M&A activity, partnerships, patents, certifications, or disclosed financial metrics are evidenced in the input data, which limits visibility into ownership structure, capital strategy, and growth investment pace. The combination of brand longevity (since 1997), regional physical presence, and made-from-scratch positioning forms the core of the company's competitive identity.

Short descriptiontext

Cafe Rio is a privately held fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 1997 in Salt Lake City, serving made-from-scratch modern Mexican cuisine directly to individual consumers through a regional network of company-owned and franchise restaurant locations.

Operating statusenum
Operating
Ownership categoryenum
Headcount rangeband
1,001–5,000
akta.pro rankint
HeadquartersSalt Lake City, United States
HQ citystring
Salt Lake City
HQ countrystring
United States
HQ regionstring
North America
Markets served

Serves global market

Keyword5 values
fast casual dining, Mexican restaurant, made from scratch food, restaurant chain, fresh Mexican cuisine
Industry1 code
1Mexican & Tex-Mex Fast Casual
CodeTHAFABACPrimaryYes
NAICS code1 code
  • Limited-Service Restaurants722513
SIC code1 code
  • Retail-Eating Places5812
Product category
Fast-Casual Restaurant
Social media profiles3 records
GTM motion1 record

Each record includes

Type, Description, Source

Revenue model1 record
1Restaurant Sales
TypeTransaction Fee
Description

Revenue generated from food and beverage sales directly to consumers at Cafe Rio restaurant locations.

nrn.com
Distribution channels1 record

Each record includes

Title, Type, Scope, Target buyer, Description, Source

Cost components5 values
Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
GTM typeB2C
B2C
Offering typeServices
Services
Core offering1 text field

Cafe Rio operates a fast-casual restaurant chain serving fresh modern Mexican cuisine made from scratch directly to individual consumers. Its core menu includes made-from-scratch items such as tacos, burritos, salads, and enchiladas, served through physical restaurant locations across the U.S.

Differentiator
Functional benefit
Problem solved
Product and service1 record
1Fast-Casual Mexican Restaurant Dining
CategoryFast-casual restaurant dining
Description

Made-from-scratch Mexican food offerings including tacos, burritos, salads, and enchiladas served to individual consumers at physical fast-casual restaurant locations.

Recent move2 records

Each record includes

Date, Type, Title, Description, Source

Expansion highlight3 records

Each record includes

Type, Description

Peers10 records
1Del Taco
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Public QSR chain serving Mexican-inspired food including burritos, tacos, and burgers at value price points. Adjacent competitor to Cafe Rio on cuisine but operates in a faster, lower-price segment of the Mexican food market.

2Taco Bell
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Largest Mexican-inspired QSR chain in the US, owned by Yum! Brands. Competes with Cafe Rio for Mexican food occasions but operates at a lower price point, faster service model, and substantially larger national footprint.

3Taco Cabana
TypeRegional player
Description

Regional fast-casual/QSR Mexican chain primarily serving Texas markets. Comparable to Cafe Rio on cuisine and service format, but operates in a different geographic footprint.

4Chipotle Mexican Grill
TypeDirect peer
Description

National fast-casual Mexican chain serving made-to-order burritos, bowls, and tacos directly to consumers in a counter-service format. Most directly comparable to Cafe Rio on cuisine, service model, and target customer, though at significantly larger scale.

5Qdoba Mexican Eats
TypeDirect peer
Description

Fast-casual Mexican restaurant chain offering customizable burritos, bowls, tacos, and salsas in a counter-service model. Closely comparable to Cafe Rio on cuisine, format, and customer profile, with similar unit economics and franchise mix.

6Baja Fresh
TypeDirect peer
Description

Fast-casual Mexican chain emphasizing fresh, grilled protein and made-to-order burritos and tacos. Closely comparable to Cafe Rio on the fresh, made-from-scratch positioning and target customer.

7Chevys Fresh Mex
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Casual-dining chain serving fresh Mexican food in a sit-down format. Overlaps with Cafe Rio on cuisine and freshness positioning but operates a higher-touch, full-service model.

8Moe's Southwest Grill
TypeDirect peer
Description

Fast-casual chain serving Southwest/Mexican-inspired burritos, bowls, tacos, and quesadillas. Directly comparable to Cafe Rio on cuisine positioning, counter-service format, and franchise-driven growth model.

9Pancheros Mexican Grill
TypeDirect peer
Description

Mid-size fast-casual Mexican chain serving pressed burritos and tacos. Comparable to Cafe Rio on cuisine, service format, and franchise-driven unit expansion model.

10Rubio's Coastal Grill
TypeDirect peer
Description

Fast-casual chain serving Baja-inspired Mexican food including burritos, tacos, and bowls. Directly comparable to Cafe Rio on cuisine positioning, fresh-ingredient messaging, and counter-service format.

Market position
Strengths4 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Weaknesses4 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Competitive moat3 records

Each record includes

Type, Details

Key risks5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Key highlights5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Customer concentration

Classification, Details

Segment1 record

Each record includes

Title, Type, Primary, Description, Pain point addressed, Use case, Source

Ideal customer profile1 record

Each record includes

Profile, Firmographic size, Sales motion, Sales cycle length, Buying structure, Purchase trigger, Buyer persona, Geography, Industry vertical, Primary use case, Description, Pain points, Evidence proof points, Target buyer

Technology focused
No
API detail
Has APIbool
No

Docs URL, Description

AI maturity
App detail

Has app

Core technology
Revenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Number of profiles
Profiles3 records

Each record includes

Name, Designation, Designation category, Overview, Profile commentary, Source

No data
No data
Funding overview

Funding stage, Last funding date, Total funding USD

Funding rounds

Each record includes

Round, Amount USD, Date, Pre money valuation, Total investors, Investors, News

Investors

Each record includes

Name, Type, Date of entry, Rounds participated, Website

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Each record includes

Name, Acquisition type, Announced date, Completed date, Status, Website, News

Investment

Each record includes

Name, Round, Announced date, Lead investor, Website, News

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Cafe Rio

Fast-Casual Restaurantcaferio.com

Cafe Rio is a privately held fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 1997 in Salt Lake City, serving made-from-scratch modern Mexican cuisine directly to individual consumers through a regional network of company-owned and franchise restaurant locations.

What Cafe Rio does

Cafe Rio is a privately held fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 1997 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. The company operates under the DBA "Cafe Rio Fresh Modern Mexican" and serves individual consumers seeking made-from-scratch modern Mexican cuisine through company-owned and/or franchised physical restaurant locations distributed across a regional U.S. footprint. With a headcount in the 1,001–5,000 range, Cafe Rio operates as a multi-unit chain with the operational scale typical of an established fast-casual brand nearing three decades in market.

The company's go-to-market is direct-to-consumer: guests purchase freshly prepared Mexican food at the point of sale in its restaurants, with no evidence in the input of B2B catering contracts, enterprise accounts, or wholesale distribution channels. Its revenue model is straightforward transaction-based restaurant sales (food and beverage) paid by individual diners. Customer segmentation is horizontal, targeting the broad consumer demographic that wants quick, quality Mexican food in a fast-casual setting. Marketing channels and digital/app presence are not documented in the available sources, which represents an information gap relative to peer fast-casual operators that typically maintain mobile ordering and loyalty platforms.

Cafe Rio is led by CEO Mike Burns, with founders Patricia Stanley and Steve Stanley continuing to be associated with the brand. The company appears to be actively operating as of mid-2026 based on recent executive movement. No public funding rounds, M&A activity, partnerships, patents, certifications, or disclosed financial metrics are evidenced in the input data, which limits visibility into ownership structure, capital strategy, and growth investment pace. The combination of brand longevity (since 1997), regional physical presence, and made-from-scratch positioning forms the core of the company's competitive identity.

Cafe Rio firmographics

Firmographics
Name
Cafe Rio
Website
https://caferio.com
Company type
Private
Founded year
1997
Operating status
Operating
Headcount range
1,001–5,000 employees
Short description
Cafe Rio is a privately held fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 1997 in Salt Lake City, serving made-from-scratch modern Mexican cuisine directly to individual consumers through a regional network of company-owned and franchise restaurant locations.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Cafe Rio industry classification

Industry
Product category
Fast-Casual Restaurant
NAICS
Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)
SIC
Retail-Eating Places (5812)
akta.pro primary industry
Mexican & Tex-Mex Fast Casual (THAFABAC)

Keywords

  • Fast casual dining
  • Mexican restaurant
  • Made from scratch food
  • Restaurant chain
  • Fresh Mexican cuisine

Where Cafe Rio is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city
Salt Lake City
HQ country
United States
HQ region
North America

Markets served

Cafe Rio business model

Business model
GTM type
B2C
Offering type
Services
Cost components
Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

  1. Restaurant Sales: Revenue generated from food and beverage sales directly to consumers at Cafe Rio restaurant locations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Cafe Rio product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Cafe Rio operates a fast-casual restaurant chain serving fresh modern Mexican cuisine made from scratch directly to individual consumers. Its core menu includes made-from-scratch items such as tacos, burritos, salads, and enchiladas, served through physical restaurant locations across the U.S.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

  • Fast-Casual Mexican Restaurant Dining Made-from-scratch Mexican food offerings including tacos, burritos, salads, and enchiladas served to individual consumers at physical fast-casual restaurant locations.

Companies that use Cafe Rio

Customer profile

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Cafe Rio technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API
No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Cafe Rio partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Cafe Rio competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

  • Del Taco: Public QSR chain serving Mexican-inspired food including burritos, tacos, and burgers at value price points. Adjacent competitor to Cafe Rio on cuisine but operates in a faster, lower-price segment of the Mexican food market.
  • Taco Bell: Largest Mexican-inspired QSR chain in the US, owned by Yum! Brands. Competes with Cafe Rio for Mexican food occasions but operates at a lower price point, faster service model, and substantially larger national footprint.
  • Chevys Fresh Mex: Casual-dining chain serving fresh Mexican food in a sit-down format. Overlaps with Cafe Rio on cuisine and freshness positioning but operates a higher-touch, full-service model.

Regional players

  • Taco Cabana: Regional fast-casual/QSR Mexican chain primarily serving Texas markets. Comparable to Cafe Rio on cuisine and service format, but operates in a different geographic footprint.

Direct peers

  • Chipotle Mexican Grill: National fast-casual Mexican chain serving made-to-order burritos, bowls, and tacos directly to consumers in a counter-service format. Most directly comparable to Cafe Rio on cuisine, service model, and target customer, though at significantly larger scale.
  • Qdoba Mexican Eats: Fast-casual Mexican restaurant chain offering customizable burritos, bowls, tacos, and salsas in a counter-service model. Closely comparable to Cafe Rio on cuisine, format, and customer profile, with similar unit economics and franchise mix.
  • Baja Fresh: Fast-casual Mexican chain emphasizing fresh, grilled protein and made-to-order burritos and tacos. Closely comparable to Cafe Rio on the fresh, made-from-scratch positioning and target customer.
  • Moe's Southwest Grill: Fast-casual chain serving Southwest/Mexican-inspired burritos, bowls, tacos, and quesadillas. Directly comparable to Cafe Rio on cuisine positioning, counter-service format, and franchise-driven growth model.
  • Pancheros Mexican Grill: Mid-size fast-casual Mexican chain serving pressed burritos and tacos. Comparable to Cafe Rio on cuisine, service format, and franchise-driven unit expansion model.
  • Rubio's Coastal Grill: Fast-casual chain serving Baja-inspired Mexican food including burritos, tacos, and bowls. Directly comparable to Cafe Rio on cuisine positioning, fresh-ingredient messaging, and counter-service format.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Cafe Rio social profiles

Digital presence

Cafe Rio financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Cafe Rio leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Cafe Rio funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Cafe Rio M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cafe Rio

What does Cafe Rio do?

Cafe Rio operates a fast-casual restaurant chain serving fresh modern Mexican cuisine made from scratch directly to individual consumers. Its core menu includes made-from-scratch items such as tacos, burritos, salads, and enchiladas, served through physical restaurant locations across the U.S.

When was Cafe Rio founded?

Cafe Rio was founded in 1997. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.

Where is Cafe Rio based?

Cafe Rio is headquartered in Salt Lake City, United States, in the North America region.

How does Cafe Rio make money?

One revenue line is on record: restaurant Sales.

Who are Cafe Rio's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are Del Taco, Taco Bell and Chevys Fresh Mex. Taco Cabana is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Chipotle Mexican Grill, Qdoba Mexican Eats, Baja Fresh, Moe's Southwest Grill, Pancheros Mexican Grill and Rubio's Coastal Grill.

Does Cafe Rio have an API?

No public API is recorded for Cafe Rio.

What industry is Cafe Rio in?

Cafe Rio's product category is Fast-Casual Restaurant. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFABAC, Mexican & Tex-Mex Fast Casual. Its NAICS code is 722513 and its SIC code is 5812.

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Live signals
ABC4 UtahCafe Rio debuts 'Double Dip Fries' following success of the Utah BurritoCafe Rio Fresh Modern Mexican launched Double Dip Fries in Utah, featuring Chile-lime fries with two dips. The item is available Thursday, with small and large sizes starting at $4.49 and $6.59. The launch follows the success of the Utah Handheld Burrito.QsrmagazineCafe Rio Launches New Blueberry Mojito MocktailCafe Rio launched its Blueberry Mojito Mocktail on September 8 at all 150 locations nationwide. The $2.99 non-alcoholic drink combines blueberry, lime, and mint, joining the menu alongside Horchata and Mint Limeade. The launch is part of ongoing menu innovations, including a handheld burrito introduced earlier this year.QsrmagazineCafe Rio Offers BOGO Meals to University of Utah Students and FacultyCafe Rio is offering University of Utah students and faculty a Buy One, Get One Free School Meal Deal at its 4th South location in Salt Lake City for September. The $10 deal includes a handheld burrito, bowl, or two-taco entrée with a drink, and employees of a new campus Mexican restaurant also get a free meal. The offer runs September 1–30, 2026.ABC4 UtahCafe Rio introduces new fry-stuffed Utah Burrito, fry sauce to celebrate local food cultureCafe Rio has introduced a new Utah Handheld Burrito, a fry-stuffed beef burrito served with fry sauce, available for a limited time at Utah locations. The introduction coincides with Pioneer Day celebrations and marks a turnaround effort by new CEO Mike Burns, who is also bringing back popular sauces after customer pushback over previous menu changes.Nation's Restaurant News25 restaurant executives on the move in JuneThe restaurant industry saw significant executive turnover in June with 25 people changing jobs across multiple chains. Several regional chains named new CEOs, including Ojos Locos Sports Cantina, Cafe Rio Fresh Modern Mexican, and Erbert & Gerbert's Sandwich Shop, while Bon Appétit Management announced a planned CEO transition for later in the year. Pura Vida Miami expanded its C-suite with hires from Sweetgreen, Shake Shack, and Oakberry to support national expansion, and notable retirements included Tracy Skeans from Yum Brands after more than 25 years.PR NewswireFreeman Spogli & Co. Acquires a Majority Interest in Cafe Rio, Inc.Freeman Spogli & Co. has acquired a majority interest in Cafe Rio, Inc., taking over from previous investor KarpReilly. The transaction terms were not disclosed, but the existing management team will continue to lead the company and retain an equity stake. This acquisition positions the fast-casual restaurant chain, which operates over 100 locations across the western United States, for further expansion under new private equity stewardship.GlobeNewswireCafe Rio Mexican Grill, a Mindshare Technologies Client, Named No. 1 Quick-Serve Restaurant ChainCafe Rio Mexican Grill won the Sandleman & Associates Quick-Track Award as the No. 1 quick-serve restaurant chain, beating competitors like Chipotle and Chick-fil-A. The award recognizes customer reviews, dining experience, and service. Mindshare Technologies, which provides Cafe Rio's feedback management, credited its real-time reporting tools for the win.