

Diverse employees at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill have rated Team, Manager, and Executive Team as the highest categories they have scored
Women at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill have rated Office Culture, Team, and Leadership as the highest categories they have scored
Cafe Rio Mexican Grill employees are 51% more likely to recommend Cafe Rio Mexican Grill as a great place to work
| 63% | Promoters |
|---|---|
| 25% | Passives |
| 12% | Detractors |
Working at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill is rated highly by 464 employees, across various culture dimensions. Cafe Rio Mexican Grill employees are most satisfied about CEO Rating, Compensation, and Environment categories, putting Cafe Rio Mexican Grill’s culture in the Top 5% compared to similar sized companies on Comparably and in the Top 20% compared to other companies in Salt Lake City. See below in detail how working at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill was rated by employees.
Overall Company Culture at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill is rated A+
Last updated 2 months ago
Cafe Rio Mexican Grill ranks in the Top 5% of other companies on Comparably with 5,001-10,000 Employees for Overall Company Culture Score
Out of 1782 Cafe Rio Mexican Grill employee reviews, 89% were positive. The remaining 11% were constructive reviews with the goal of helping Cafe Rio Mexican Grill improve their work culture.
| Positive Reviews | 89% |
|---|---|
| Constructive Feedback | 11% |
What is most positive about the culture and environment at your company?Sarah Q. is one of the best assistant managers I've had the pleasure of working with. She carries positivity and light from the moment she steps into the building, and goes out of her way to recognize multiple members of her crew for their hard work. She's a hard worker, and wonderful with costumers
What are some of the best things about your team?I love how personable my coworkers are, and how genuinely a lot of them seem to care and have each other's backs while in the work place. Most of my coworkers are very hard working, and get things done well and accurately. It helps the environment feel more lively, and less like brick walls.
What makes you most happy at work?Being recognized for the good work I am doing, instead of only being recognized for the mistake I made. Being able to have little moments of connective humanity, instead of just being "A Machine At Work." Being able to connect with my coworkers in momentary chat makes the shift a lot more joyful.
What does the leadership team need to get better at?Communication, recognition, and consistency could certainly be prioritized more. Keeping disagreements or mistakes private and out of the public eye to save potential humiliation would also be greatly appreciated, and leaning away from favoritism and hypocrisy could benefit the entire team.
Why do you feel undervalued and what would make you feel better about your compensation?I was originally hired under the promise of being a full-time employee, and have since had multiple check-ins to confirm that those preferences are still accurate. My preferences have stayed the same, but I am consistently shorted the hours needed to be full-time due to lack of schedule consistency.
Why do you feel undervalued and what would make you feel better about your compensation?I`M NEW IN YOUR COMPANY. I`M A LEGAL GREEN CAR HOLDER AND MY SALARY IS NOT ACCORDING WITH MY STATUS MIGRATORY...
Cafe Rio Mexican Grill is a fast-casual restaurant specializing in fresh, from scratch-made meals. Our food is something to behold. And, it’s all thanks to the amazing people that choose to join our family. “The food and the employees are the most important pieces that make Café Rio stand out! We like to think of ourselves as a five-star kitchen in a fast and casual format.” Says Steve Vaughn, CEO. You offer your hard work and passion and we’ll offer a career path from Floor Ambassador to CEO, with rewards and perks along the way. Like medical benefits? Like 401ks? Like Hawaii? #CafeRioPerks. We currently serve guests from over 144 restaurants in 11 states. Come join our family and let’s have fun making great food together.
Cafe Rio Mexican Grill was founded in 1997 and its current CEO is Steve Vaughan. Since its inception 29 years ago, Cafe Rio Mexican Grill has grown to 5100 employees.
Creating opportunities and changing the lives of everyone we serve.
| Headquarter | 1245 East Brickyard Rd Salt Lake City, UT 84106 United States of America |
|---|---|
| Website | www.caferio.com |
| Founding Date | 1997 |
| Tel | 801-441-5000 |
| Company Status | Private |
| Jobs | apply.jobappnetwork.com/cafe-rio |
| Social Sites |










Cafe Rio Mexican Grill has 5100 employees. 464 employees at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill have reviewed Cafe Rio Mexican Grill across various culture dimensions, providing their opinions on items ranging from executive ratings to the pace at work. The latest review was 2 months ago.
Overall, the 464 Cafe Rio Mexican Grill employees give their leadership a grade of A+, or Top 5% of similar size companies on Comparably. This includes specific ratings of their executive team, CEO, and manager.
Employees at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill are pleased with their total compensation at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill, which includes a combination of pay, stock and equity, and benefits.
Overall, employees at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill are extremely happy with their team. 464 Participants grade the quality of their coworkers an A+.
The majority of employees at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill believe the environment at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill is positive. Most Participants believe the pace of work at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill is comfortably fast. About 67% of the employees at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill work 8 hours or less, while 6% of them have an extremely long day - longer than twelve hours.
Overall, the employees at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill are extremely happy, based on their aggregated ratings of future outlook, customer perception, and their excitement going to work.


The prevailing opinion from Comparably users in Salt Lake City about their company is that it was very prepared on their first day. Salt Lake City employees concluded that their overall onboarding experience was positive. 81% said their direct manager was helpful with their acclimation during the first 90 days. First impressions are important, and how prepared a company is on your first day leaves a lasting impression.
Employees’ understanding of Cafe Rio Mexican Grill's KPIs and OKRs is essential for its success. Out of 464 Cafe Rio Mexican Grill employees who’ve answered, “Are your company’s goals clear and are you invested in them?” 419 have said yes.
Cafe Rio Mexican Grill’s CEO Steve Vaughan started in this role in 2015. Steve’s approval rate is in the Top 5% of all CEOs of similar-sized companies on Comparably, and in the Top 10% compared to the CEOs of all other companies in Salt Lake City. With a high CEO score, Steve Vaughan has won the Best CEOs in 2023. In addition, Steve has garnered Best CEOs for Diversity in 2023 specifically for Diversity, making Cafe Rio Mexican Grill’s CEO one of the top rated CEOs by diverse employees. Cafe Rio Mexican Grill’s CEO is highly regarded especially by African American/Black employees, employees with Over 10 Years experience, and employees in the Engineering department. However, employees identified with Other ethnicities, Native American employees, and employees in the Finance department have a less favorable view of the CEO and believe there is room for improvement. Compared to Cafe Rio Mexican Grill’s competitors, Steve Vaughan ranks right above Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright. Under Vaughan’s leadership, Cafe Rio Mexican Grill employee respondents are most happy about their Compensation and the company’s Environment. Work Culture and Professional Development are two areas, according to respondents, where Cafe Rio Mexican Grill could stand to see real improvement.
The Cafe Rio Mexican Grill Executive Team is rated an “A+” and led by CEO Steve Vaughan, Sr. Vice President, Information Technology Todd Paladini, and Chief Marketing Officer Todd Smith
Steve Vaughan CEO / President
Steve Vaughan serves as the CEO / President of Cafe Rio Mexican Grill.
Todd Paladini Sr. Vice President, Information Technology
Todd Paladini, our Chief Technology Officer, has been in the IT field for over 20 years. He started his career in the... read more
Todd Smith Chief Marketing Officer
Todd Smith, the CCO of Cafe Rio, has over 12 years of restaurant experience. Todd has been blazing up the corporate... read more
Cortney Worle Chief People Officer
Cortney Worle brings over 17 years of Human Resource experience to Cafe Rio. Cortney started her career in retail... read more
Abe Hollands Chief of Operations
Our Chief Operations Officer, Abe Hollands has been in the restaurant industry for over 22 years. And much of our... read more
Shea Bodet Chief Financial Officer
Shea Bodet brings almost 20 years of Finance and Accounting experience in the restaurant space to the team. Prior to... read more
How much do people at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill get paid? See the latest salaries by department and job title. The average estimated annual salary, including base and bonus, at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill is $128,773, or $61 per hour, while the estimated median salary is $134,093, or $64 per hour.
At Cafe Rio Mexican Grill, the highest paid job is a Director of Sales at $222,495 annually and the lowest is an Admin Assistant at $47,231 annually. Average Cafe Rio Mexican Grill salaries by department include: Operations at $119,218, Design at $103,016, Legal at $187,523, and Engineering at $140,407. Half of Cafe Rio Mexican Grill salaries are above $134,093.
464 employees at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill rank their Compensation in the Top 5% of similar sized companies in the US (based on 928 ratings) while 464 employees at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill rank their Perks And Benefits in the Top 5% of similar sized companies in the US (based on 928 ratings).
Last updated 2 months ago.
| Summary | Salary Range | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
1st Percentile $76k | $76k | 1st Percentile |
17th Percentile $103k | $103k | 17th Percentile |
33rd Percentile $133k | $133k | 33rd Percentile |
50th Percentile $180k | $180k | 50th Percentile |
67th Percentile $228k | $228k | 67th Percentile |
83rd Percentile $265k | $265k | 83rd Percentile |
100th Percentile $275k | $275k | 100th Percentile |
* Estimated salaries Estimated salaries are based on data provided anonymously by employees and/or estimated by other statistical methods.
Diverse employees at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill score the company 85/100 across various culture categories, placing Cafe Rio Mexican Grill in the Top 5% of companies on Comparably with 5,001-10,000 Employees for Comparably's diversity score. The Diversity score provides insights into how diverse employees feel and rate their work experience at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill across various culture dimensions.
Over 60% of our employees come from diverse backgrounds. That makes for a fun and vibrant #CafeRioFamily! We value the unique perspectives and experiences of others and are proud to support and celebrate our diverse teams. We believe in creating opportunities and changing the lives of everyone we serve. Inclusive of employees and guests, everyone is welcome to be part of our family.
Cafe Rio Mexican Grill's PTO and Vacation policy typically gives 0-10 days off a year.

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What is Cafe Rio Mexican Grill address?
Cafe Rio Mexican Grill location is at 1245 East Brickyard Rd
Who is the CEO of Cafe Rio Mexican Grill?
Cafe Rio Mexican Grill CEO is Steve Vaughan, their score by employees is 89
What is Cafe Rio Mexican Grill eNPS?
The eNPS for Cafe Rio Mexican Grill is 51
What is the salary for Marketing Associate in Cafe Rio Mexican Grill?
Marketing Associate average salary in the US is 58k
What are the salaries in the Engineering in Cafe Rio Mexican Grill?
The average salaries for Engineering in Cafe Rio Mexican Grill is 140k