A service cart (10,160) for an aircraft comprising: a housing of carbon fiber reinforced composites defining four interior compartments (14, 16), each compartment being suitable for receiving a meal carrier in the form of a shelved metallic open ended box; a pair of cap doors at each opposite end of the service cart (10,160), each cap door adapted to close one compartment, each cap door pivoting approximately 270 degrees to bear against a side of the service cart (10,160); a plurality of guides on inner walls of each interior compartment (14, 16); and a redundant paddle latch system for each cap door to prevent inadvertent opening of the door, wherein the redundant paddle latch system comprises a latch for each of said cap doors: said latch comprising a pivoting paddle latch mounted adjacent a top of said pair of cap doors; a vertical pin coupled to said pivoting paddle latch through a lever, the vertical pin extending through said respective cap door into a bottom surface of said cart (10,160) when said pivoting paddle latch is positioned in a closed position to prevent said respective door from opening, and the vertical pin released from said bottom surface of said cart (10,160) when said pivoting paddle latch is positioned in an open position to allow said door to open; a cam surface formed as part of the pivoting paddle latch, the cam surface rotating about a paddle pivot pin; and a slam latch lever (52, 52a) mounted to the cart (10,160) and engaging the respective door, the lever (52, 52a) disengaged from the door by rotation of the cam surface. a housing of carbon fiber reinforced composites defining four interior compartments (14, 16), each compartment being suitable for receiving a meal carrier in the form of a shelved metallic open ended box; a pair of cap doors at each opposite end of the service cart (10,160), each cap door adapted to close one compartment, each cap door pivoting approximately 270 degrees to bear against a side of the service cart (10,160); a plurality of guides on inner walls of each interior compartment (14, 16); and a redundant paddle latch system for each cap door to prevent inadvertent opening of the door, wherein the redundant paddle latch system comprises a latch for each of said cap doors: said latch comprising a pivoting paddle latch mounted adjacent a top of said pair of cap doors; a vertical pin coupled to said pivoting paddle latch through a lever, the vertical pin extending through said respective cap door into a bottom surface of said cart (10,160) when said pivoting paddle latch is positioned in a closed position to prevent said respective door from opening, and the vertical pin released from said bottom surface of said cart (10,160) when said pivoting paddle latch is positioned in an open position to allow said door to open; a cam surface formed as part of the pivoting paddle latch, the cam surface rotating about a paddle pivot pin; and a slam latch lever (52, 52a) mounted to the cart (10,160) and engaging the respective door, the lever (52, 52a) disengaged from the door by rotation of the cam surface. said latch comprising a pivoting paddle latch mounted adjacent a top of said pair of cap doors; a vertical pin coupled to said pivoting paddle latch through a lever, the vertical pin extending through said respective cap door into a bottom surface of said cart (10,160) when said pivoting paddle latch is positioned in a closed position to prevent said respective door from opening, and the vertical pin released from said bottom surface of said cart (10,160) when said pivoting paddle latch is positioned in an open position to allow said door to open; a cam surface formed as part of the pivoting paddle latch, the cam surface rotating about a paddle pivot pin; and a slam latch lever (52, 52a) mounted to the cart (10,160) and engaging the respective door, the lever (52, 52a) disengaged from the door by rotation of the cam surface.