<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>                                  9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              MAY-25-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                   FEB-23-1997

<CASH>                                         $28,787
<SECURITIES>                                   0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  30,704
<ALLOWANCES>                                   0
<INVENTORY>                                    147,426
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               324,372
<PP&E>                                         2,445,038
<DEPRECIATION>                                 764,532
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 2,099,241
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          463,325
<BONDS>                                        313,761
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    0
<COMMON>                                       1,267,944
<OTHER-SE>                                     (65,787)
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   897,084
<SALES>                                        2,355,158
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               2,355,158
<CGS>                                          803,621
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  1,921,474
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                               0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             16,191
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                34,687
<INCOME-TAX>                                   9,660
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            25,027
<DISCONTINUED>                                 0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   25,027
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  0.16
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  0.16