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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-09-11</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000039047</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FRISCHS RESTAURANTS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FRS</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001069419</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MAIER BLANCHE F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2800 GILBERT AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CINCINNATI</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>45206</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-09-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>479</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>7150</value><footnoteId id="F1"/><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/><footnoteId id="F2"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">479 shares contributed to JBM Limited Partnership and reported on its Form 4 and the Form 4 of Jack C. Maier.</footnote><footnote id="F2">761,077 shares indirectly held by partnership with spouse, 89,170 shares indirectly held as Voting Trustee, 764,197 shares indirectly held as Voting Trustee, 112,171 shares indirectly held as Voting Trustee, 48,119 shares indirectly held as Voting Trustee</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>BLANCHE F. MAIER, BY W. GARY KING P.O.A.</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-11</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

