Exhibit 5
                                                                      ---------

                          Arnall Golden & Gregory, LLP
                            2800 One Atlantic Center
                        1201 West Peachtree Street, N.W.
                           Atlanta, Georgia 30309-3450

                                                                  (404) 873-8500

                                                                  (404) 873-8501

                                November 13, 2000


 SYSCO CORPORATION
 1390 Enclave Parkway
 Houston, Texas  77077-2027

     Re:  Form S-8 Registration  Statement;  2000 Management  Incentive Plan and
          2000 Stock Incentive Plan

 Ladies and Gentlemen:

     We have acted as counsel to Sysco Corporation,  a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"),  in connection with the  preparation of a Registration  Statement on
Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") filed by the Company with the Securities
and  Exchange  Commission  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as amended  (the
"Act"),  relating  to an offer by the Company of up to  4,000,000  shares of the
Company's  Common Stock,  $1.00 par value (the "Shares"),  pursuant to the Sysco
Corporation 2000 Management Incentive Plan and 25,000,000 Shares pursuant to the
Sysco Corporation 2000 Stock Incentive Plan (collectively, the "Plans").

     In acting as counsel to the Company,  we have examined and relied upon such
corporate  records,  documents,  certificates and other instruments and examined
such questions of law as we have  considered  necessary or  appropriate  for the
purposes of this opinion.  In addition,  we assume that the purchase  price,  or
other consideration to be received by the Company, per Share will, in all cases,
equal or  exceed  the par  value  of a Share.  Based  upon  and  subject  to the
foregoing,  we advise you that in our opinion the Shares to be sold  pursuant to
and in accordance with the Plans have been duly and validly authorized and will,
upon  receipt  in full of the  consideration  provided  in the  Plans,  and upon
issuance pursuant to a current prospectus in conformity with the Act, be legally
issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

     We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the  Registration
Statement and the  reference to this firm under the caption  "Interests of Named
Experts  and  Counsel"  contained  therein  and  elsewhere  in the  Registration
Statement.  This consent is not to be  construed  as an admission  that we are a
party  whose  consent is required  to be filed with the  Registration  Statement
under the provisions of the Act.

                                Sincerely,

                                ARNALL GOLDEN & GREGORY, LLP

                                /s/ ARNALL GOLDEN & GREGORY, LLP