Some very interesting points have been raised here...
The individual's perspective on what constitutes the "right etiquette" often depends as much on the person as it does the coffeeshop and even the staff on duty at the time. So many of us believe that what
we do is the right way and noone else has the right to tell us otherwise, but hey, there are some basics of good manners that should generally apply universally:
If the staff make it clear that there are certain rules that must be observed, then observe them...
For example, if there is a sign that says "No hats/headwear" then take off your hat or don't go in.
If the sign states that "Purchase is obligatory" then either buy from there or don't go in.
If there is a sign that says "Maximum stay 1 hour", then either leave after an hour or don't go in.
I could carry on, but you get my meaning, I'm sure.
I know some places are cool with you bringing in your own munchies - De Kuil, for example - but don't take the piss! If the place serves food as well as drinks and weed, then unless you're dropping a fairly large amount of €, it's not really the done thing... At least, not for me. The same analogy has already been explored here, so again, I won't digress...
I would never consider bringing my own drinks to a coffeeshop and consuming them there, but if I have spent money on weed there, then I don't feel bad about flipping open a bag from another CS, but again, I don't take the piss with that either.
I visit a shop to sample
its wares first and foremost, not to use as a place to sit and consume stuff purchased elsewhere - try that in a restaurant and see how long they let you stay!
Tipping? Much the same as when I eat out. I don't leave a tip if I go to KFC (unless the service was SPECTACULAR!) but if I've enjoyed the experience or the consumables in a place (food
or weed), then I will happily add to the take-home wage of the person serving me if I think they deserve it. (And if they'll take it, that is...) On the trip before last, I spent a lot of time (and money) in Amnesia one fine afternoon, and after having sampled a fair and very tasty selection of both the weed and refreshments menu, I left a €5 note in the tip tray for the pleasant young girl behind the counter, and another one for the (again female) budtender... Moments after sitting back down with yet another bag of herb and another drink, the girl serving the food & drinks came over and quietly offered me a slice of Pecan Pie "on the house"... I accepted with a smile and sat there enjoying
both the pie and the
gezellig hospitality.
She didn't seem embarrassed by the gesture, just pleased that I was pleased.
Now, the more cynical amongst us would doubtless say that in fact I payed a little too much for that piece of pie, but I enjoyed it very much and I also enjoyed the feeling it gave me to put a smile on the face of the server... Well worth the €5. At no time did I feel rushed or harangued into buying more of this or that, and that for me is golden. That trip I was on my own, and it's nice to be able to spend time in places you enjoy...
Taking photos? Well, I only carry my phone with me and I always ask if I can take a snap of the menu (no flash). I don't take pics of other people in the CS's and I'd personally prefer if people asked before taking pics of me, but I'm not going to kick off if a group of people start snapping away in a CS...
I clean up after myself as well as taking bottles, glasses etc. back to the bar, but again, this is just me and the way I was brought up. When I went on holiday with my brothers and sister in law to a very nice all-inclusive place in Turkey a few years back, we got surprised looks at first from the staff when we would take our plates and glasses back to the servery, and learned to say please and thank you in their native tongue, but it improved the service we received compared with some of the more ignorant people who treated them like slaves!
Sometimes it's just nice to be nice.
When staff remember you and greet you warmly on your return to either your favourite restaurant, coffeeshop, hotel, or whatever it may be - doesn't that make your whole visit that much more enjoyable?
If all you want to do is notch up a score of all the coffeeshops you've visited on your latest Amsterdam CS crawl, then it's up to you how you behave in those establishments - the chances are you won't be back there in a hurry, or remember very much about it anyway... It's your holiday and your right to do with it what you will, but at the end of the day, when you're interacting with other people (some of whom will be working in that service industry), doesn't it make more sense to behave yourself accordingly? Or failing that, don't be surprised if asked to leave...
If you're lucky, via the door not the window!
However, speaking purely for myself, I like to take things a bit easier nowadays, and value the quality more than just the quantity. If I'm not feeling the vibe somewhere I've tried for the first time then I move on - usually to somewhere I know well enough to restore my mood back to happy, relaxed and high as a kite... Fortunately there are more than enough coffeeshops to cater for pretty much everyone's taste!
That, to me, is rude on behalf of the coffeeshop.
It really does depend on the person and place I guess!