Can technology replace a skilled server?

Vapiano is a big chain in Germany that is waitstaff free. All done with RFID cards and vibrating pagers. You fetch the food from the cook, fetch your drinks from the bartender, and seat yourself according to available seating. They do massive business so, apparently, some folks can, in fact, do without the skilled server.

Max & Erma's "telephone on every table" ordering system?

This goes back 20 years ago or so, when they first spread out. Every table had a phone. You ordered by calling the kitchen (no wait staff, only runners), but the real "gimmick" was that you also could call other tables, and they were trying hard to be a pick-up singles spot.

Time and a place for it.

And about 50% of the time, I would prefer a touch screen or phone app over a human waiter.