-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 JWUPSiyXDC5N4dGN0heEJGQh0cXpNotKgjlVkHX6saXrLVSGz1R1gWZNw3yhXSbG
 HJfXxoW7DHwJUvjbhkitZg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000940944-03-000129.txt : 20030703
<SEC-HEADER>0000940944-03-000129.hdr.sgml : 20030703
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030703163852
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000940944-03-000129
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030619
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030703

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			DARDEN RESTAURANTS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000940944
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	RETAIL-EATING PLACES [5812]
		IRS NUMBER:				593305930
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			FL
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0526

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5900 LAKE ELLENOR DR
		CITY:			ORLANDO
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			32809
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4072454000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5900 LAKE ELLENOR DRIVE
		CITY:			ORLANDO
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			32809

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	GENERAL MILLS RESTAURANTS INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19950313

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HELSEL STEPHEN E
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001101406

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-13666
		FILM NUMBER:		03775654

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O DARDEN RESTAURANTS
		STREET 2:		5900 LAKE ELLENOR DR
		CITY:			ORLANDO
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			32809
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4072455225

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O DARDEN RESTAURANTS
		STREET 2:		5900 LAKE ELLENOR DR
		CITY:			ORLANDO
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			32809
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-19</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000940944</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DARDEN RESTAURANTS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DRI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001101406</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HELSEL STEPHEN E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>SVP, Controller</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>19.32</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>20000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2006-06-19</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-06-19</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock<
/value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Restricted Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></tra
nsactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5000</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The conversion rate is actually 1-for-1</footnote><footnote id="F2">The option vests in two equal installments beginning the date indicated, which is three years from the date of the grant.</footnote><footnote id="F3"> Reporting Person shall be eligible to receive one 
share of common stock for each restricted stock unit on June 19, 2013, or in part on earlier dates subject to performance-based vesting.</footnote><footnote id="F4">The Reporting Person beneficially owns 46,366 shares of common stock directly, and 2,413.9928 shares of common stock indirectly in the Employee Stock Ownership Plan.  The number of shares of common stock reported in the Employee Stock Ownership Plan is based on a plan statement dated May 23, 2003, and is derived from an undivided interest in a fund consisting of both Darden common stock and a small cash position that fluctuates from time to time.  The number of shares reported may change based on the size of the cash position at the time of reporting.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Douglas E. Wentz, Attorney-in-fact for HELSEL, STEPHEN E., 5900 Lake Ellenor Drive, P.O. Box 593330, Orlando, FL  32859-3330, Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI)</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-23</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocume
nt>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----