- Headroom index
- 0–100 operating margin. It is separate from the Feasible / Conditional / Blocked verdict. It falls when declared resources run tight, dietary coverage is thin, the plan exceeds its budget ceiling, menu balance weakens, or a must-fix remains. A must-fix still makes the plan Blocked even when the remaining headroom number is high.
- Must-fix
- A limit Occasion refuses to plan around: more guests than seats, oven dishes without an oven, a cookout without a grill, a wine pour against an alcohol-free filter, or more work than the kitchen can take. Each one names what to change rather than silently swapping dishes.
- Load gauge
- Demand against declared capacity inside the day-of window. Under 25% is under-used, 82% and above is tight, over 100% is overloaded.
- Menu balance
- Penalises repeated cooking methods, too many dishes in one temperature band, and out-of-season choices. A mostly day-of route is penalised only when that day is actually tight; if cold storage is the binding limit, Occasion explains the tradeoff instead of charging the plan for the only workable schedule.
- Made ahead
- Share of the route completed before the day. Higher is often calmer, but it is bounded by cold storage — the fridge gauge is the real limit.
- Indicative cost
- Built-in planning cost per guest, multiplied by batch volume. Not a quote, not live pricing, and not adjusted for where you shop.