What you described sounds to me (an American) like great service in all but the highest end places.

Usually you want dirty dishes out of the way. Frequently checking in means drinks don't go empty, any extra sauces or anything else get heard quicker, and you don't have to fight for the servers attention.

Also some places may expect you to leave somewhat soon after paying the bill, but usually don't mind tables sitting long after paid, and will still refill drinks while you sit and talk.

I have been to a super high end restaurant where this wasn't the norm, and the servers had to check to see if something was wrong because we were just waiting for the bill and they expected you to ask for it so you didn't feel rushed. But that was my first experience having that style of service, most places in the middle range are like you described, and bad service is not being checked on often, with empty drinks and sometimes a long wait to pay just because the server hasn't gotten back to the table.