<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
     This schedule  contains summary  financial  information  extracted from the
consolidated  financial statements of Darden Restaurants,  Inc. and is qualified
in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              MAY-28-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                   FEB-27-2000
<CASH>                                             20,345
<SECURITIES>                                            0
<RECEIVABLES>                                      29,609
<ALLOWANCES>                                         (350)
<INVENTORY>                                       204,801
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                  350,247
<PP&E>                                          2,546,730
<DEPRECIATION>                                 (1,007,487)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                  1,992,988
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                             635,349
<BONDS>                                           311,685
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                   0
<PREFERRED>                                             0
<COMMON>                                        1,349,267
<OTHER-SE>                                       (394,117)
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                    1,992,988
<SALES>                                         2,695,127
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                2,695,127
<CGS>                                             865,919
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                   2,119,310
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                        0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                       63
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                 16,487
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                   183,907
<INCOME-TAX>                                      (65,248)
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                               118,659
<DISCONTINUED>                                          0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                         0
<CHANGES>                                               0
<NET-INCOME>                                      118,659
<EPS-BASIC>                                         .91
<EPS-DILUTED>                                         .89