<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>                                  12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              May-25-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                 May-27-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                   May-25-1997
<CASH>                                          25,490
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   16,333
<ALLOWANCES>                                       249
<INVENTORY>                                    132,241
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               337,369
<PP&E>                                       2,390,523
<DEPRECIATION>                                 857,251
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,963,722
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          480,580
<BONDS>                                        313,192
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<COMMON>                                     1,268,656
<OTHER-SE>                                    (187,443)
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                 1,963,722
<SALES>                                      3,171,810
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                             3,171,810
<CGS>                                        1,077,316
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                2,575,979
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                   196
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              22,291
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (154,486)
<INCOME-TAX>                                   (63,457)
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            (91,029)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                   (91,029)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    (0.59)
<EPS-DILUTED>                                    (0.59)