Azteca Restaurant and Cantina marked its first year of business by hosting a customer appreciation day Saturday. Owner James Burick said his business has been able to thrive because of its dedicated staff and customer loyalty. Patrons receive a survey at the end of their meal so staff can adjust accordingly.

Among a dizzying swath of restaurants on Route 1 offering everything from pizza and hamburgers to shish kebabs and falafel, it’s tough to tell what will survive in this town.

However, James Burick said his establishment, Azteca Restaurant and Cantina, has found its sweet spot.

The upscale Mexican restaurant held a customer appreciation day Saturday in celebration of its first year of business, a milestone in a still-shaky College Park economic climate. Burick credited his restaurant’s staying power with his willingness to adapt to customer demand and a loyal staff providing consistent food quality.

“In a restaurant atmosphere, you generally have a high turnover,” Burick said. “I think we’ve been on the right track of maintaining our employees.”

Every patron receives a customer survey at the end of his or her meal, and the restaurant works to assuage any concerns or complaints by altering its menu, he said. Two months ago, Burick overhauled the menu based on customer feedback, adding extensively to vegetarian options and expanding the lunch menu. On Friday and Saturday, the restaurant offered customers$3 margaritas from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., as well as a free appetizer for those with the appreciation day flyer in hand.

“We kind of make sure that if the salsa wasn’t right, or the queso wasn’t right, we would change it,” Burick said. “You take your finger to the pulse of what people are talking about and make a change.”

Azteca has also found success in booking parties and catering across the county, providing food for events on the campus, at City Hall and the Hyattsville District Court. The restaurant serves an array of Mexican food and seafood, and its most popular offerings include the New York strip and spinach enchilada, as well as the “Plato Grande,” a platter with beef, chicken, shrimp, ribs, quail, rice, beans, sour cream and guacamole, for a price of $36.99. Most entrees cost $10 to $16.

But on a college student’s budget, a more elaborate restaurant is not always a practical dining option, said junior psychology major Hoda Zadeh.

“If you’re going out on a date or it’s someone’s birthday, it’s nice,” Zadeh said. “If it’s near school, the upscale thing is not going to work well.”

But Azteca isn’t just a place for a two-hour sit-down meal — its bar can hold 35 to 45 people, an ideal design for watching sporting events, Burick said. Happy Hour is from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and the average beer costs about $3, he said.

“A lot of college students know that they can come, drink Happy Hour specials and food specials at the bar during every Redskins game, every Ravens game,” Burick said. “People come in and say, ‘Why go to Buffalo Wild Wings and pay twice as much for a beer and have it crowded all around when we can come here?’”

With few other sit-down restaurants north of Route 193, Azteca’s secluded location and fine dining atmosphere have also contributed to its success, according to city Economic Coordinator Michael Stiefvater.

“It’s white tablecloth, so it’s a little bit nicer than a lot of places on Route 1,” he said. “They’re very neighborhood-friendly, and they fit well in the community.”

Junior bioengineering major Sharang Managoli said many of his friends have been to Azteca and returned satisfied.

“Around Route 1, I don’t really see any good Mexican food, so I think that would be really good,” he said.