<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-09</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000039047</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FRISCHS RESTAURANTS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FRS</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001069418</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MAIER KAREN F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>VP - MARKETING</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>COMMON STOCK</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-09</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>88</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>64124</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value><footnoteId id="F2"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">BONUS AWARD</footnote><footnote id="F2">764,197 SHARES DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY HELD AS BENEFICIARY AND CO-TRUSTEE U/W OF DAVID FRISCH</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>KAREN F. MAIER</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-10</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

