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

    <documentType>4</documentType>
    <periodOfReport>2003-09-19</periodOfReport>
    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000096021</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SYSCO CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SYY</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001046850</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SANDERS DIANE D</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>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP and Treasurer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-09-19</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>10000.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>7.1875</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>131308.6877</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-09-19</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>6088.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>7.1875</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>137396.6877</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-09-19</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>20000.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>7.9688</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>157396.6877</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-09-19</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>11367.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>33.435</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>146029.6877</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <derivativeTable>
   <derivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy) - Date Granted 8/31/95</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>7.1875</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-09-19</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>10000.0000</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>10000.0000</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>10000.0000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </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>2003-09-19</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>6088.0000</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>6088.0000</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>3912.0000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeTransaction>
   <derivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy) - Date Granted 9/5/96</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>7.9688</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-09-19</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>20000.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>7.9688</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
          <value>1996-09-05</value>
              <footnoteId id="F2" />
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2006-09-04</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Stock</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>20000.0000</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>0.0000</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>
   <footnote id="F2">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.  If the grants have not vested by the fifth anniversary of the grant, the grant will vest six months prior to expiration.</footnote>
</footnotes>
    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>Diane Day Sanders</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2003-09-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0201
4
2003-09-19
0
0000096021
SYSCO CORP
SYY
0001046850
SANDERS DIANE D
SYSCO CORP
1390 ENCLAVE PKWY
HOUSTON
TX
77077-2099
0
1
0
0
VP and Treasurer
Common Stock
2003-09-19
4
M
0
10000.0000
7.1875
A
131308.6877
D
Common Stock
2003-09-19
4
M
0
6088.0000
7.1875
A
137396.6877
D
Common Stock
2003-09-19
4
M
0
20000.0000
7.9688
A
157396.6877
D
Common Stock
2003-09-19
4
F
0
11367.0000
33.435
D
146029.6877
D
Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy) - Date Granted 8/31/95
7.1875
2003-09-19
4
M
0
10000.0000
7.1875
D
1995-08-31
2005-08-31
Common Stock
10000.0000
10000.0000
D
Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy) - Date Granted 8/31/95
7.1875
2003-09-19
4
M
0
6088.0000
7.1875
D
1995-08-31
2005-08-31
Common Stock
6088.0000
3912.0000
D
Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy) - Date Granted 9/5/96
7.9688
2003-09-19
4
M
0
20000.0000
7.9688
D
1996-09-05
2006-09-04
Common Stock
20000.0000
0.0000
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.
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.  If the grants have not vested by the fifth anniversary of the grant, the grant will vest six months prior to expiration.
Diane Day Sanders
2003-09-22