EXHIBIT 99.2

Press Release dated September 20, 2000, of Darden Restaurants, Inc.


                           DARDEN RESTAURANTS DECLARES
                         SEMI-ANNUAL DIVIDEND OF 4 CENTS

ORLANDO, FL - Darden  Restaurants,  Inc. today declared the regular 4 cents
per share  semi-annual  dividend  payable  November 1, 2000 to  shareholders  of
record October 10, 2000 as authorized by the Board of Directors.  This marks the
11th  consecutive  semi-annual  dividend  payment  since  the  Company  became a
publicly traded company on May 30, 1995.

Forward-looking statements in this news release, if any, are made under the
Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities  Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Certain  important  factors could cause results to differ  materially from those
anticipated by the forward-looking statements,  including the impact of changing
economic or business conditions, the impact of competition,  the availability of
favorable  credit  and  trade  terms,  the  impact  of  changes  in the  cost or
availability of food and real estate, government regulation, construction costs,
weather  conditions  and other  factors  discussed  from time to time in reports
filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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