Can I take that out of your way?

To start with, it's not "in my way".

You might want to get it into the kitchen and into the dish-washing machine but don't make it sounds as though you're doing me a favor.

What? That annoying habit servers have of hovering over you as soon as you lay down your knife and fork, grab your plate and say "can I take that out of your way?" That is so annoying.

If the plate is empty, the server is pointing out, in a way noticeable to everyone else at the table, that the diner with the empty plate is a greedy hog who has obviously gobbled his food in an undignified manner.

If the plate isn't empty, then the server is making the point that the diner is obviously an over-picky person who just toys with her food.

And everyone else at the table, those who are still eating, are obviously greedy pigs because how come they haven't finished too if one person has?

Bad server habit.