Darden Restaurants (DRI) 10-Q 2015 Q2 Quarterly report

EXHIBIT 12

DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC.

COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF CONSOLIDATED EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

(Dollar amounts in millions)

(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
	November 23, 2014			November 24, 2013			November 23, 2014			November 24, 2013
Consolidated earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	$	(54.6	)	$	1.8		$	(98.3	)	$	51.7
Plus fixed charges:
Gross interest expense(1)	34.7			33.8			146.2			67.6
40% of restaurant and equipment minimum rent expense	16.2			14.5			31.9			28.2
Total fixed charges	50.9			48.3			178.1			95.8
Less capitalized interest	(0.8		)	(0.7		)	(0.9		)	(1.7		)
Consolidated earnings from continuing operations before income taxes available to cover fixed charges	$	(4.5	)	$	49.4		$	78.9		$	145.8
Ratio of consolidated earnings from continuing operations to fixed charges	(0.1		)	1.0			0.4			1.5

(1) Gross interest expense includes interest recognized in connection with our unrecognized income tax benefits