Honesty is best policy in Tempe

Unscientific though it may be, a survey shows that Tempe is a pretty honest city.

After setting up unmanned pop-up stores all across the United States filled with its products, the makers of Honest Tea asked for $1 payment and left collection jars in place for six hours.

According to its National Honesty Index, Tempe came in No. 48, with 92 percent paying for their beverage. Oakland, Calif. and Salt Lake City tied for No. 1 at 100 percent.

Also scoring high were San Francisco (No. 4 at 97 percent), Las Vegas (13, 95 percent), women (16, 95 percent) and gamblers (32, 93 percent).

And who’s more honest than, say, Wall Streeters or people in advertising? Well, hardly anyone, as it turns out, when paying for a bottle of tea is involved. Madison Avenue tea drinkers came in fourth at 98 percent. Wall Street was seventh with 97 percent.

The least honest people were found in Brooklyn, N.Y. (No. 75, 71 percent), Los Angeles (74, 79 percent), southside Chicago fans (73, 82 percent) and southerners (72, 84 percent).

The company has conducted the survey for three years. Last year’s October visit to Tempe pulled a 71 percent honesty rating for the East Valley city.