CABIN ATTENDANT RPT; S80; ORD-DTW. UNFORECAST TURB; SERVING CART ITEMS; LIQUIDS WENT FLYING EVERYWHERE ON TOP OF PAX. SAFETY SUGGESTION FOR CARTS.

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WE WERE ADVISED TO REMAIN SEATED AFTER TKOF BECAUSE OF THE EXPECTATION OF TURB AT TKOF. THERE WAS SOME SIGNIFICANT TURB. ABOUT 15 MINS INTO THE FLT; WE WERE ADVISED THAT IT WAS SAFE TO BEGIN THE SVC. SINCE IT WAS A SHORT FLT WITH A NEARLY FULL COMPLEMENT OF PAX; WE MOVED QUICKLY INTO THE AISLE. AFTER SERVING ONLY THE FIRST 3-4 ROWS; WE WERE HIT WITH SEVERE TURB. THE CART 'JUMPED' AND INSERTS ON TOP OF THE CART 'JUMPED' AS WELL. HOT AND COLD LIQUIDS; SERVING CUPS; ETC; WERE SENT FLYING IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA. SEVERAL PAX WERE SOAKED IN LIQUID. I WAS COVERED WITH COFFEE THAT I WAS POURING. WE IMMEDIATELY REASSEMBLED THE CART AND SAID 'LET'S TAKE IT BACK.' WE MOVED THE CART AND RESTOWED ALL THE SERVING ITEMS IN (I WOULD GUESS) UNDER 2 MINS. THE HVY TURB CONTINUED FOR ABOUT 20 MINS; AS THE COCKPIT CREW TRIED TO EVADE IT BY CHANGING ALT AND DIRECTION. FLT ATTENDANTS WERE SEATED DURING THIS TIME. WHEN IT SEEMED 'SAFE' AGAIN; I MOVED THROUGH THE CABIN WITH DAMP CLOTHS TO ASSIST PAX TO CLEAN UP AND CHKED WITH EACH PAX TO BE SURE THEY WERE OK. NO ONE COMPLAINED OF ANY INJURY OTHER THAN GETTING WET FROM SPILLED BEVERAGES. I BELIEVE NO INJURIES WERE INCURRED; BECAUSE ALL PAX WERE SEATED WITH SEATBELTS FASTENED. THE INITIAL TURB WAS A WARNING TO THEM. I RECALL THE CAPT; IN HIS INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT; ASKING PAX TO REMAIN SEATED WHILE WE WERE IN THE AISLES -- THAT HELPED; TOO. ON REFLECTION; I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF TIE-DOWN FOR THE INSERTS ON TOP OF THE CART. SOMETHING LIKE A PAIR OF BUNGEE CORDS HOOKED OVER THE INSERTS AND FASTENED ON EACH END OF THE CART. THE CAPT SAID LATER THAT THE TURB DID NOT SHOW UP ON THE RADAR AND WAS A SURPRISE EVENT FOR THEM. ALL IN ALL; IT WAS A SCARY SIT AND NOT ONE I'D LIKE TO REPEAT. ANOTHER THING: EITHER THE CURTAIN WAS NEVER PULLED BTWN FIRST CLASS AND COACH CABINS; OR THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT PULLED IT BACK; BUT IT WAS REASSURING TO BE IN PHONE AND VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE CREW AT THE FORWARD PART OF THE PLANE DURING THE EVENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR SAID THAT THE AREA WAS EXPERIENCING RAIN AND WIND WHEN THEY TOOK OFF; BUT THERE WAS NO FORECAST OF SEVERE TURB. HE IS ADAMANT THAT THE AIRLINES COME UP WITH A BETTER METHOD OF CARRYING THINGS ON TOP OF THE SERVING CARTS THAT SECURES ITEMS; INCLUDING OPEN LIQUIDS; FROM FLYING OFF THE CARTS IN TIMES OF TURB.