"I'm all out of coins," Alistair says, "but the kitchen staff likes me. Most of them. I carry things for them, too."

And someone (Zevran) told them who he was. That always 'helps.' But Alistair thinks they like him on his own merit, too, for the carrying and high-shelf reaching and the fact that he actually visits them to talk sometimes, so he wouldn't mind asking a favor.