<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>                                   1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              MAY-30-1999
<PERIOD-START>                                 JUN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                   AUG-30-1998
<CASH>                                            27,990
<SECURITIES>                                           0
<RECEIVABLES>                                     23,101
<ALLOWANCES>                                        (235)
<INVENTORY>                                      145,177
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                 339,888
<PP&E>                                         2,373,768
<DEPRECIATION>                                  (894,021)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 1,916,386
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                            490,353
<BONDS>                                          310,633
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                  0
<PREFERRED>                                            0
<COMMON>                                       1,303,794
<OTHER-SE>                                      (288,537)
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   1,916,386
<SALES>                                          886,057
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                 886,057
<CGS>                                            296,415
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                    710,952
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                       0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                       0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                 5,435
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                   53,871
<INCOME-TAX>                                      18,692
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                               35,179
<DISCONTINUED>                                         0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                        0
<CHANGES>                                              0
<NET-INCOME>                                      35,179
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                       0.25
<EPS-DILUTED>                                       0.24