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

    <documentType>4</documentType>
    <periodOfReport>2003-09-11</periodOfReport>
    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000096021</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SYSCO CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SYY</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001128603</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SPITLER KENNETH F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O SYSCO CORP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1390 ENCLAVE PKWY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HOUSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>77077-2099</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>ExecVP,Foodservice Operations</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
    <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>122227.9359</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeHolding>
    <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>190.0000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>I</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <natureOfOwnership>
              <value>By Trust</value>
              <footnoteId id="F1" />
          </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeHolding>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <derivativeTable>
   <derivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy) Date Granted 9/11/2003</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>31.7500</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-09-11</value>
              <footnoteId id="F2" />
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>70000.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>0</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
              <footnoteId id="F3" />
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2013-09-10</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Stock</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>70000.0000</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>70000.0000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeTransaction>
  </derivativeTable>
<footnotes>
   <footnote id="F1">Shares held by Reporting Person, as custodian for daughter, UGMA.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F2">Grants were made on September 11, 2003, but have not yet been received.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F3">One-fifth (1/5) of the shares covered by the grant vest and are exercisable on 7/3/04, 7/2/05, 7/1/06, 6/30/07 and 6/28/08, respe
ctively.</footnote>
</footnotes>
    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>Kenneth F. Spitler</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2003-09-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0201
4
2003-09-11
0
0000096021
SYSCO CORP
SYY
0001128603
SPITLER KENNETH F
C/O SYSCO CORP
1390 ENCLAVE PKWY
HOUSTON
TX
77077-2099
0
1
0
0
ExecVP,Foodservice Operations
Common Stock
122227.9359
D
Common Stock
190.0000
I
By Trust
Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy) Date Granted 9/11/2003
31.7500
2003-09-11
4
A
0
70000.0000
0
A
2013-09-10
Common Stock
70000.0000
70000.0000
D
Shares held by Reporting Person, as custodian for daughter, UGMA.
Grants were made on September 11, 2003, but have not yet been received.
One-fifth (1/5) of the shares covered by the grant vest and are exercisable on 7/3/04, 7/2/05, 7/1/06, 6/30/07 and 6/28/08, respe
ctively.
Kenneth F. Spitler
2003-09-12