<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>
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              MAY-30-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                   NOV-29-1998
<CASH>                                            13,064
<SECURITIES>                                           0
<RECEIVABLES>                                     26,224
<ALLOWANCES>                                        (332)
<INVENTORY>                                      137,112
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                 303,847
<PP&E>                                         2,389,627
<DEPRECIATION>                                  (910,976)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 1,879,421
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                            468,961
<BONDS>                                          310,413
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                  0
<PREFERRED>                                            0
<COMMON>                                       1,311,828
<OTHER-SE>                                      (311,383)
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   1,879,421
<SALES>                                        1,677,225
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               1,677,225
<CGS>                                            554,031
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  1,355,010
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                       0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                      97
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                10,221
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                   78,528
<INCOME-TAX>                                      27,430
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                               51,098
<DISCONTINUED>                                         0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                        0
<CHANGES>                                              0
<NET-INCOME>                                      51,098
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                       0.37
<EPS-DILUTED>                                       0.35