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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-04-12</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001216312</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FERNANDEZ MANUEL A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1390 ENCLAVE PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HOUSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>77077</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-04-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6624</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>34.63</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>128705.6</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">6,624 shares withheld for payment of taxes in connection with the vesting of restricted stock units granted on April 13, 2012.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The receipt of 14,817 of these shares has been deferred pursuant to the 2009 Board of Directors Stock Deferral Plan.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Russell T. Libby, attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-04-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "edgar.xml", "description": "PRIMARY DOCUMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3354}]
X0306
4
2013-04-12
0000096021
SYSCO CORP
SYY
0001216312
FERNANDEZ MANUEL A
1390 ENCLAVE PARKWAY
HOUSTON
TX
77077
1
0
0
0
Common Stock
2013-04-12
4
F
0
6624
34.63
A
128705.6
D
6,624 shares withheld for payment of taxes in connection with the vesting of restricted stock units granted on April 13, 2012.
The receipt of 14,817 of these shares has been deferred pursuant to the 2009 Board of Directors Stock Deferral Plan.
/s/Russell T. Libby, attorney-in-fact
2013-04-16