<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>
<CIK>                         0000940944
<NAME>                        Darden Restaurants, Inc.
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              MAY-24-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                 MAY-26-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                   NOV-23-1997
<CASH>                                            22,069
<SECURITIES>                                           0
<RECEIVABLES>                                     19,500
<ALLOWANCES>                                        (249)
<INVENTORY>                                      182,834
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                 382,680
<PP&E>                                         2,355,101
<DEPRECIATION>                                  (851,745)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 1,981,559
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                            516,500
<BONDS>                                          311,447
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                  0
<PREFERRED>                                            0
<COMMON>                                       1,272,146
<OTHER-SE>                                      (207,067)
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   1,981,559
<SALES>                                        1,554,594
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               1,554,594
<CGS>                                            507,809
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  1,260,440
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                       0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                       0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                 9,416
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                   48,036
<INCOME-TAX>                                      16,098
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                               31,938
<DISCONTINUED>                                         0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                        0
<CHANGES>                                              0
<NET-INCOME>                                      31,938
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                       0.21
<EPS-DILUTED>                                       0.21