<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-02-18</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000096021</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SYSCO CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SYY</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001573968</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Bene Thomas</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1390 ENCLAVE PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HOUSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>77077</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</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>2016-02-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2892</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>66352.785</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>44.38</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-02-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>40849</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2026-02-18</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>40849</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>40849</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Restricted stock units granted by the Compensation Committee of the Company's Board of Directors pursuant to the 2013 Long Term Incentive Plan. This award of restricted stock units was made in connection with the reporting person's promotion to President and Chief Operating Officer effective January 1, 2016, as previously announced in a Currrent Report on Form 8-K filed by Sysco Corporation on December 29, 2015.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">One-fifth of the shares covered by the grant vest and are exercisable on 02/18/2017, 02/18/2018, 02/18/2019, 02/18/2020, 02/18/2021, espectively.  No options may be exercised prior to 02/18/2017. Options will expire on 02/18/2026.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Options granted by the Compensation Committee of the Company's Board of Directors pursuant to the 2013 Long Term Incentive Plan. This award of  stock options was made in connection with the reporting person's promotion to President and Chief Operating Officer effective January 1, 2016, as previously announced in a Currrent Report on Form 8-K filed by Sysco Corporation on December 29, 2015.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Gerald W. Clanton, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-02-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0306
4
2016-02-18
0000096021
SYSCO CORP
SYY
0001573968
Bene Thomas
1390 ENCLAVE PARKWAY
HOUSTON
TX
77077
0
1
0
0
President and COO
Common Stock
2016-02-18
4
A
0
2892
0
A
66352.785
D
Stock Option (Right to buy)
44.38
2016-02-18
4
A
0
40849
0
A
2026-02-18
Common Stock
40849
40849
D
Restricted stock units granted by the Compensation Committee of the Company's Board of Directors pursuant to the 2013 Long Term Incentive Plan. This award of restricted stock units was made in connection with the reporting person's promotion to President and Chief Operating Officer effective January 1, 2016, as previously announced in a Currrent Report on Form 8-K filed by Sysco Corporation on December 29, 2015.
One-fifth of the shares covered by the grant vest and are exercisable on 02/18/2017, 02/18/2018, 02/18/2019, 02/18/2020, 02/18/2021, espectively.  No options may be exercised prior to 02/18/2017. Options will expire on 02/18/2026.
Options granted by the Compensation Committee of the Company's Board of Directors pursuant to the 2013 Long Term Incentive Plan. This award of  stock options was made in connection with the reporting person's promotion to President and Chief Operating Officer effective January 1, 2016, as previously announced in a Currrent Report on Form 8-K filed by Sysco Corporation on December 29, 2015.
/s/ Gerald W. Clanton, Attorney-in-fact
2016-02-19