<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000949297-09-000080
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090629
<FILING-DATE>20090701
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090701
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Kraft John C
<CIK>0001338843
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-26786
<FILM-NUMBER>09922953
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O APAC CUSTOMER SERVICES, INC.
<STREET2>SIX PARKWAY NORTH
<CITY>DEERFIELD
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60015
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>APAC CUSTOMER SERVICE INC
<CIK>0000949297
<ASSIGNED-SIC>7389
<IRS-NUMBER>362777140
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>IL
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1230
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>SIX PARKWAY NORTH
<CITY>DEERFIELD
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60015
<PHONE>847-236-5452
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>SIX PARKWAY NORTH
<CITY>DEERFIELD
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60015
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>APAC TELESERVICES INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19950915
</FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>APAC CORP
<DATE-CHANGED>19950811
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-06-29</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000949297</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>APAC CUSTOMER SERVICE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>APAC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001338843</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Kraft John C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O APAC CUSTOMER SERVICES, INC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2333 WAUKEGAN ROAD, SUITE 100</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BANNOCKBURN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60015</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>4.89</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-06-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10465</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-06-29</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-06-29</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10465</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10465</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Stock option granted pursuant to the APAC Customer Services, Inc. 2005 Amended and Restated Incentive Stock Plan.  Subject to a change in control of the Issuer, the options vest in three equal annual installments beginning on the first anniversary, and expire 10 years from the date of original grant, unless earlier terminated pursuant to the terms of the Plan.  The options include the right of the Reporting Person to surrender shares to the Issuer in order to pay the exercise price of an option.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Andrew B. Szafran, Attorney-in-Fact                             /John C. Kraft</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-07-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
