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

    <documentType>4</documentType>
    <periodOfReport>2003-12-17</periodOfReport>
    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000096021</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SYSCO CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SYY</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001046849</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARSHALL GREGORY K</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1390 ENCLAVE PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></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>Sr VP</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-12-17</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>8668.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>10.9375</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>57630.2174</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-12-17</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>186.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>27.79</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>57816.2174</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-12-17</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>2759.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>36.22</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>55057.2174</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <derivativeTable>
   <derivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy) - Date Granted 9/3/98</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>10.9375</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-12-17</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>8668.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>0.</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
              <footnoteId id="F1" />
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2008-09-02</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Stock</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>8668.0000</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>0.0000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeTransaction>
   <derivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy) Date Granted 9/11/2001</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>27.79</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-12-17</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>186.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>0.</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
              <footnoteId id="F2" />
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2011-09-10</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Stock</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>186.0000</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>21814.0000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeTransaction>
  </derivativeTable>
<footnotes>
   <footnote id="F1">Exercises not permitted prior to the first anniversary of the grant.  If certain performance criteria are met in any fiscal year during the first 5 years after the grant, one-third (1/3) of the shares covered by the grant vest at the end of the first year in which the performance criteria are met.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F2">One-fifth (1/5) of the shares covered by the grant vest and are exercisable on 06/29/02, 06/28/03, 07/03/04, 07/2/05 and 07/1/06,
 respectively.</footnote>
</footnotes>
<remarks></remarks>    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>Gregory K. Marshall</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2003-12-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0201
4
2003-12-17
0
0000096021
SYSCO CORP
SYY
0001046849
MARSHALL GREGORY K
1390 ENCLAVE PARKWAY
HOUSTON
TX
77077-2099
0
1
0
0
Sr VP
Common Stock
2003-12-17
4
M
0
8668.0000
10.9375
A
57630.2174
D
Common Stock
2003-12-17
4
M
0
186.0000
27.79
A
57816.2174
D
Common Stock
2003-12-17
4
F
0
2759.0000
36.22
D
55057.2174
D
Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy) - Date Granted 9/3/98
10.9375
2003-12-17
4
M
0
8668.0000
0.
D
2008-09-02
Common Stock
8668.0000
0.0000
D
Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy) Date Granted 9/11/2001
27.79
2003-12-17
4
M
0
186.0000
0.
D
2011-09-10
Common Stock
186.0000
21814.0000
D
Exercises not permitted prior to the first anniversary of the grant.  If certain performance criteria are met in any fiscal year during the first 5 years after the grant, one-third (1/3) of the shares covered by the grant vest at the end of the first year in which the performance criteria are met.
One-fifth (1/5) of the shares covered by the grant vest and are exercisable on 06/29/02, 06/28/03, 07/03/04, 07/2/05 and 07/1/06,
 respectively.
Gregory K. Marshall
2003-12-18