<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
     This schedule  contains summary  financial  information  extracted from the
     consolidated   financial   statements  of  Darden  Restaurants,   Inc.  and
     Subsidiaries  and is  qualified  in  its  entirety  by  reference  to  such
     financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
       
                                        
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                  3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              MAY-26-1996
<PERIOD-START>                                 MAY-27-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                   AUG-25-1996
<CASH>                                     $   31,602
<SECURITIES>                                        0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  29,363
<ALLOWANCES>                                        0
<INVENTORY>                                   119,525
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                              293,578
<PP&E>                                      2,428,307
<DEPRECIATION>                                727,605
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              2,091,092
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                         410,081
<BONDS>                                       318,132
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                               0
<PREFERRED>                                         0
<COMMON>                                    1,267,704
<OTHER-SE>                                    (25,469)
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                  848,857
<SALES>                                       805,555
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                              805,555
<CGS>                                         267,692
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                 637,620
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                              139,042
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                    0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              4,933
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                28,893
<INCOME-TAX>                                    8,420
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            20,473
<DISCONTINUED>                                      0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                     0
<CHANGES>                                           0
<NET-INCOME>                                   20,473
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    0.13
<EPS-DILUTED>                                    0.13