If you have ever invested in the stock market, you will have probably heard someone say, “Jam tomorrow”.
It is an English idiom used to describe a promise of future reward or improvement that never actually materialises. In the stock market it is often used to describe companies that promise a lot to their investors but actually deliver very little.
It is an idiom that captures the frustration of repeatedly being told that something desirable will happen “tomorrow” or at some point in the future, when in reality, nothing changes.
The “jam” is rarely delivered.
It is a criticism that implies a consistent failure to deliver a promise or implied benefit. We have all probably experienced the promise of better times ahead, but when the future arrived, little had changed.
Politicians have lived off the promises of “jam tomorrow” for years.
History and Origins
The idiom can be traced back to Lewis Carroll’s 19th-century satire, Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There (1871).
The White Queen offers Alice “jam every other day” if she will work for her.
“The rule is jam tomorrow and jam yesterday — but never jam today.” The jam in question is a treat. Always promised but never available in the here and now.
When I was a very young boy and heard someone say “Jam tomorrow”, I thought that it must have something to do with actual jam. That is, better quality real jam, rather than the cheap, mostly refined sugar with sweetener, that I was served.
It was only later, when I entered the world of work, that I found out what it really meant. For a time I worked for a boss who was like the White Queen. He always offered something better, but regardless of how hard we worked, there was no jam. He also had an annoying tendency to conveniently forget what he had promised before.
The jam was never delivered.
How it’s Used Today
Carroll may have popularised the wording, but the idea of perpetual postponement and unattainable promises predates him in folklore and literature. But his use of the phrase fixed the notion of “jam tomorrow” in the English-speaking world and gave it a satirical edge. Jam tomorrow mocks those who offer the prospect of future benefits while denying them in the present.
In the world of politics, all politicians seem to be good at offering ‘jam tomorrow’ promises at elections, but they are soon forgotten.
The workplace: “We’re always told ‘jam tomorrow’ when we ask for a pay rise or better conditions. We end up working harder but are never rewarded. It never arrives.”
Stock market: “That company always promises better times ahead but never delivers. Now you know why the share price is so low.”
Everyday speech: “My friend keeps saying we’ll have a party next month. She has said that before. The party never happens. Jam tomorrow, I guess.”
Saying “jam tomorrow” carries both humour and criticism. It can sound both funny and a putdown while delivering real frustration. The target of the phrase tends to be those who are perceived as persistent offenders who fail to deliver, rather than a simple one-off delay. The idiom implies a pattern of postponement rather than a single reasonable failure.
Why the Phrase Endures
There are modern alternatives or idioms that are similar or get across the same message. “Pie in the sky”, “promises, promises”, or “we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it” are also used to express doubts about promised future benefits.
In short, “jam tomorrow” remains a handy phrase for criticising hollow assurances.
Whether it’s the world of finance, politics, workplaces, or everyday life, it means the same — a witty and to-the-point reminder of a broken promise.
Photo by Ruth Bourke on Unsplash
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