Sysco Customer Care: A Practical, Expert Guide for Foodservice Operators

Who Sysco Serves and How Support Is Organized

Sysco Corporation has supported foodservice operators since 1969 and today serves approximately 700,000 customer locations across restaurants, healthcare, education, lodging, and government. With more than 330 distribution facilities and roughly 70,000+ associates globally, the company’s size and product breadth (center-of-plate proteins, produce, dairy, disposables, equipment, and specialty imports) shape how customer care is delivered—locally, through your nearest operating company (OpCo), and digitally, via Sysco Shop.

Customer care is primarily provided at the local OpCo level because inventory, routing, and pricing are specific to your market. Your OpCo’s Customer Service team works in tandem with Dispatch, Warehouse, Transportation, Merchandising, and your Sales Consultant. This local model enables same-day problem solving (e.g., truck delays, shorted items) and market-specific expertise (e.g., produce conditions, seasonal substitutions, regional pricing, and regulatory requirements).

How to Reach Sysco Customer Care

Your fastest path to resolution is almost always your local Sysco OpCo. The correct phone number and email appear on the top of your invoice, on delivery manifests, and in your order confirmation from Sysco Shop. Typical Customer Service hours are Monday–Friday, 7:30 AM–5:00 PM local time, with after-hours support routed to Dispatch or night operations for urgent, in-route delivery issues. If you cannot locate your OpCo’s number, use the corporate “Contact Us” directory at https://www.sysco.com/contact to find your market by ZIP/postal code.

For digital ordering issues, use the in-app Help within Sysco Shop (https://shop.sysco.com) to chat or submit a ticket, which automatically includes your account and order context. Corporate correspondence can be mailed to Sysco Corporation, 1390 Enclave Parkway, Houston, TX 77077-2099, USA. Note: escalations are most effective when you first log the issue with your OpCo Customer Service and your Sales Consultant so local teams can act immediately.

• Local OpCo Customer Service: number on your invoice/order confirmation; fastest for shorts, damages, substitutions, and routing updates
• Your Sales Consultant: best for product guidance, pricing/programs, backorder alternatives, and recurring service issues
• Sysco Shop Support: in-app Help at https://shop.sysco.com for login, ordering, and order history/credit requests
• Corporate directory and inquiries: https://www.sysco.com/contact; mailing address: 1390 Enclave Parkway, Houston, TX 77077-2099

What to Have Ready When You Call or Chat

Preparing accurate details speeds resolution and helps teams document credits within regulatory and food safety requirements. When possible, contact Sysco the same day as delivery; time-sensitive windows often apply to perishable claims (see below).

Gather the following before calling or opening a chat, especially for shortages, damages, temperature issues, or price questions:

• Invoice number and delivery date; Sysco item number (typically 6–8 digits) and product description
• Quantity ordered vs. received; photos of product, packaging, and shipping label; for quality/temperature claims: lot code, best-by date, and internal product temperature (e.g., 41°F/5°C or below for refrigerated; 0°F/−18°C or below for frozen)
• Order method (Sysco Shop, EDI, phone), PO number if used, and any driver notes at delivery
• For price discrepancies: your quoted/contract price and the line price on the invoice

Response Times, Delivery Issues, and Escalations

Delivery-day issues (truck delays, misroutes, missed stops) should be reported immediately; most OpCos coordinate with Dispatch in real time to provide ETA updates and, when operationally possible, same-day re-delivery or next-route recovery. For shorted or mispicked items discovered at put-away, contact your OpCo Customer Service as soon as possible—ideally within a few hours of delivery—to increase the chance of same-day recovery.

Non-urgent cases (e.g., invoice reprints, copy of statements, product spec sheets) are typically acknowledged same day and resolved within 1–2 business days. If a case requires cross-team work (Merchandising, QA, or Transportation review), allow 2–3 business days. Should you need escalation, ask for the Customer Service Supervisor or your Sales Consultant’s District Sales Manager. Provide your initial case or ticket number, times you called, and any supporting photos or documents.

Credits, Returns, and Food Safety Claims

Time windows are critical. Industry-standard guidance is to report shortages and damages on the day of delivery, quality concerns within 24 hours for refrigerated and produce, and concealed damage within 24–48 hours depending on the item. Frozen items should remain at 0°F (−18°C) or below; do not refreeze thawed product. For temperature-related claims, record the internal temperature with a calibrated thermometer and photograph the packaging and lot labels. Sysco may require product hold pending QA review; follow instructions before discarding any item unless a clear food safety hazard exists.

Credits, once approved, generally post within 1–3 business days and appear on your next invoice as a credit memo referencing the original invoice line. Returns procedures vary by OpCo and product category; many perishable items are not returnable if the cold chain was broken off-site. Always keep product in original packaging until instructed otherwise. For recall communications, Sysco issues notifications tied to your purchase history so you can act quickly and document remediation.

Billing, Pricing, and Contract Questions

For billing support, use the phone and email on your invoice’s remit-to section to reach Accounts Receivable at your OpCo. Have invoice numbers, statement dates, and payment references ready. Many OpCos offer electronic statements and ACH/EFT payment; ask your AR representative about setup, remittance advice formats, and cutoff times for same-day posting.

For pricing concerns, provide the Sysco item number, the price you expected (contract/quote), and evidence (price file, written quote, or program letter). Contract price updates may take 24–48 hours to propagate across order guides and EDI. Promotional allowances and deviated pricing (off-invoice) should be reconciled against promo dates; request a deal tracking report from your Sales Consultant if needed.

Digital Support: Sysco Shop and EDI

Sysco Shop (https://shop.sysco.com) provides order guides, real-time inventory by OpCo, substitutes for out-of-stock SKUs, and invoice/credit history. For password resets, use “Forgot password” from the login page; for multi-location operators, confirm your default ship-to before checkout. If your store needs product-specific data (allergens, nutritionals, pack size changes), open the item detail and download the spec sheet when available.

EDI-capable operators should coordinate with their Sysco OpCo and their internal IT to validate document sets (commonly 850/855/856/810). Mismatches between UOMs (e.g., CS vs. EA) and item codes are the most frequent cause of quantity or price disputes; a short data validation cycle before go-live reduces exceptions by 30–50% in the first month.

Service Benchmarks, Practical Tips, and Useful Links

While results vary by market and seasonality, many OpCos target fill rates in the mid- to high-90% range and on-time delivery performance above 95%. Peak demand periods (e.g., holidays, major weather events) can compress capacity; placing orders before the stated cutoff and allowing recommended substitutes increases your on-time, in-full odds. If you operate seven days a week, discuss standing orders and par-level planning with your Sales Consultant to stabilize your inbound schedule.

Bookmark these links: Sysco corporate Contact Us directory at https://www.sysco.com/contact and Sysco Shop at https://shop.sysco.com. For formal correspondence, use the corporate mailing address: Sysco Corporation, 1390 Enclave Parkway, Houston, TX 77077-2099, USA. For the fastest help, always start with your local OpCo’s Customer Service using the phone number printed on your invoice or order confirmation, and include your invoice number, item numbers, and photos where applicable.