Bob Nilsen, President/CEO

As President/CEO and Co-Owner, Bob’s 20 plus years of international and domestic restaurant experience across a wide range of concepts has helped position Cafe Rio as one of America’s fastest growing companies. Bob has continued to build upon the things that make Cafe Rio Great. His commitment to quality is unparalleled and he has a strong passion for the unique food and culture at Cafe Rio. Bob also cares deeply about each employee and our customers and is frequently seen making fresh tortillas or having fun with the people in our restaurants.

Before Cafe Rio, Bob’s experience spanned the globe and he held such positions as President, Top Operations Executive and member of the Board of Directors at Burger King in Miami, where he helped lead a turnaround of sales, margins and operating performance. He has also held numerous leadership positions in the United States, Australia, Asia and Africa at Yum Brands, Inc., which included his position as the Chief Operating Officer at Taco Bell and member of the Worldwide Partners Council.

A Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of Utah, Nilsen holds an MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. Bob, his wife Kathleen and their five children live in Holladay, Utah.