Las Teresitas Beach Kiosks Tender: 8 Chiringuitos Up for Grabs in 2026

If you have ever spent a lazy afternoon on Las Teresitas with a cold drink in hand and your toes in that famous Saharan sand, you will know the chiringuitos are part of the experience. Now, the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is reshaping that experience for the next four years. A fresh public tender has been launched to award concessions for all eight beach kiosks, along with the associated sunbed and parasol rental areas, after the previous contracts expired in February.

The tender, formally titled as a concession for the installation and operation of seasonal services on the beach, covers eight separate lots. Each lot includes one kiosk of around 70 square metres and a designated area on the sand for renting out hamacas, sombrillas, and camas balinesas. The total built area for all eight kiosks comes to 560 square metres, and the beach-service area per kiosk varies by season: roughly 7,680 square metres in the busy summer months and 5,760 square metres in the quieter winter period. The city has structured the process to encourage a mix of operators, with each bidder allowed to win only one lot as long as at least eight companies are admitted.

A competitive race with sustainability in mind

The financial stakes are higher than the minimum requirements suggest. While the base annual fee is set at about 15,390 euros per kiosk, the 19 admitted bidders have offered sums ranging from around 24,000 euros up to a striking 90,000 euros per year for a single lot. That is three to five times the minimum, signalling strong interest and a likely boost in quality and service levels. The evaluation criteria reflect the city's priorities: up to 60 points go to the economic offer, while environmental measures and battery-based electrical storage systems can each earn up to 20 points. This means beachgoers can reasonably expect quieter, cleaner power solutions and a reduced reliance on noisy generators.

The tender was launched in March to avoid operating on expired contracts and to align with the four-year concession cycle agreed with the Coastal Authority. In previous rounds, the city had to take over concession powers from the Costas to regularise the kiosks and ensure they were compliant, removable structures with autonomous services. This latest tender is therefore a continuation of that effort to keep everything legal, competitive, and up to modern environmental standards.

What this means for your beach day

For visitors and locals alike, the most important takeaway is continuity. The eight chiringuitos will remain directly on the sand, offering drinks, snacks, and more substantial meals. Think breakfast and brunch options, fresh fish, salads, and evening cocktails with your feet in the sand. While the tender does not specify menus or confirm which brands will operate each kiosk, previous operators have included names like La Isla, Flow, El Caracol, and Bambú, among others. The exact line-up under the new concessions will depend on the award outcomes, but the competitive field suggests a strong offering is likely.

The sunbed and parasol zones will also remain organised and regulated. Each kiosk area can accommodate up to 120 hamacas and 60 sombrillas in high season, with fewer in low season, plus a limited number of balinese beds for those seeking extra comfort. Prices for these rentals are not detailed in the tender documents, so they remain unconfirmed for now.

Fixed hours you can rely on

One of the most practical changes for beachgoers is the contractually fixed opening hours. During the high season, from April to September, all kiosks must open by 9:00 and close at 21:00 every day. In the low season, from October to March, the hours shift slightly to 10:00 until 20:00. This means you can plan your beach day with confidence, knowing exactly when the chiringuitos will be serving. Outside these hours, the kiosks are required to close, though special events like San Juan celebrations may receive explicit municipal authorisation for extended hours.

The city has enforced these hours in past concessions, so operators are well aware of the rules. For early risers who enjoy a morning swim followed by a coffee on the sand, the 9:00 opening in summer is a welcome guarantee.

A golden-sand beach with a story

Las Teresitas is not your typical Canarian beach. Located next to the village of San Andrés, just a short drive from central Santa Cruz, it was originally a natural black-sand volcanic beach. In the 1970s, a major remodelling project transformed it: a breakwater and sea wall were built to calm the surf, and vast quantities of golden sand imported from the Sahara were spread across the shore. The result is the wide, light-coloured beach that has become the city's emblematic coastal spot, popular with families and swimmers thanks to its generally calm, shallow waters.

Beyond the kiosks and sunbed areas, the beach offers large parking areas, lifeguard services in season, showers, toilets, and changing facilities. Public transport links from Santa Cruz make it easily accessible even without a car. Some of the newer kiosk operations have marketed themselves as beach clubs with more elaborate food and lounge spaces, but their status under the new tender period will depend on who wins each lot.