<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
    <periodOfReport>2003-09-24</periodOfReport>
    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000096021</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SYSCO CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SYY</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001046857</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LANKFORD THOMAS E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>SYSCO CORP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1390 ENCLAVE PKWY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HOUSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>77077-2099</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President and COO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-09-24</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>24000.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>6.375</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>451735.5097</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
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   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-09-24</value>
      </transactionDate>
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          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
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      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
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          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>7.1875</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-09-24</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
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      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>20688.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>33.90</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>449135.5097</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
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          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-09-24</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>300.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>33.92</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>448835.5097</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-09-24</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>600.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>33.93</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>448235.5097</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-09-24</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>1700.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>33.95</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>446535.5097</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-09-24</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>2800.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>33.96</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>443735.5097</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>6989.4665</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>I</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <natureOfOwnership>
              <value>Children</value>
          </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeHolding>
    <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>56000.0000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>I</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <natureOfOwnership>
              <value>Wife</value>
          </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeHolding>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <derivativeTable>
   <derivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy) - Date Granted 9/1/94</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>6.3750</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-09-24</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>24000.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>6.375</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
          <value>1994-09-01</value>
              <footnoteId id="F1" />
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2004-09-01</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Stock</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>24000.0000</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
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              <value>0.0000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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   </derivativeTransaction>
   <derivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy) - Date Granted 8/31/95</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>7.1875</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-09-24</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>18088.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>7.1875</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
          <value>1995-08-31</value>
              <footnoteId id="F1" />
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2005-08-31</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Stock</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>18088.0000</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
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          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>13912.0000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeTransaction>
  </derivativeTable>
<footnotes>
   <footnote id="F1">Grants are made annually with exercises not permitted prior to the first anniversary of the grant.  If certain performance criteria are met, one-third (1/3) of the shares covered by the grant vest on the first, second and third anniversaries of the grant.</footnote>
</footnotes>
    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>Thomas E. Lankford</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2003-09-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0201
4
2003-09-24
0
0000096021
SYSCO CORP
SYY
0001046857
LANKFORD THOMAS E
SYSCO CORP
1390 ENCLAVE PKWY
HOUSTON
TX
77077-2099
1
1
0
0
President and COO
Common Stock
2003-09-24
4
M
0
24000.0000
6.375
A
451735.5097
D
Common Stock
2003-09-24
4
M
0
18088.0000
7.1875
A
469823.5097
D
Common Stock
2003-09-24
4
S
0
20688.0000
33.90
D
449135.5097
D
Common Stock
2003-09-24
4
S
0
300.0000
33.92
D
448835.5097
D
Common Stock
2003-09-24
4
S
0
600.0000
33.93
D
448235.5097
D
Common Stock
2003-09-24
4
S
0
1700.0000
33.95
D
446535.5097
D
Common Stock
2003-09-24
4
S
0
2800.0000
33.96
D
443735.5097
D
Common Stock
6989.4665
I
Children
Common Stock
56000.0000
I
Wife
Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy) - Date Granted 9/1/94
6.3750
2003-09-24
4
M
0
24000.0000
6.375
D
1994-09-01
2004-09-01
Common Stock
24000.0000
0.0000
D
Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy) - Date Granted 8/31/95
7.1875
2003-09-24
4
M
0
18088.0000
7.1875
D
1995-08-31
2005-08-31
Common Stock
18088.0000
13912.0000
D
Grants are made annually with exercises not permitted prior to the first anniversary of the grant.  If certain performance criteria are met, one-third (1/3) of the shares covered by the grant vest on the first, second and third anniversaries of the grant.
Thomas E. Lankford
2003-09-25