Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
ROSE MICHAEL D
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
DARDEN RESTAURANTS INC [DRI] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
5900 LAKE ELLENOR DRIVE, P.O. BOX 593330		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/22/2008
(Street)

ORLANDO, FL 32859-3330		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 01/22/2008   M   2,072 A $ 8.8958 19,813 D  
Common Stock 01/22/2008   M   1,773 A $ 10.3958 21,586 D  
Common Stock 01/22/2008   M   1,527 A $ 10.5416 23,113 D  
Common Stock 01/22/2008   M   1,863 A $ 11.5416 24,976 D  
Common Stock 01/22/2008   M   2,102 A $ 9.125 27,078 D  
Common Stock 01/22/2008   M   4,500 A $ 12.1458 31,578 D  
Common Stock 01/22/2008   M   2,178 A $ 12.4792 35,976 D  
Common Stock 01/22/2008   M   2,220 A $ 11.7916 33,798 D  
Common Stock 01/22/2008   M   4,500 A $ 12.2916 40,476 D  
Common Stock 01/22/2008   M   4,500 A $ 11.6042 44,976 D  
Common Stock               20,000 I By Michael D. Rose Trust

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 8.8958 01/22/2008   M     2,072 08/20/1998 02/20/2008 Common Stock 2,072 $ 2.6687 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 10.3958 01/22/2008   M     1,773 11/29/1998 05/29/2008 Common Stock 1,773 $ 3.1187 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 10.5416 01/22/2008   M     1,527 02/28/1999 08/28/2008 Common Stock 1,527 $ 3.1625 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 11.5416 01/22/2008   M     1,863 05/26/2000 11/26/2009 Common Stock 1,863 $ 3.4625 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 9.125 01/22/2008   M     2,102 08/25/2000 02/25/2010 Common Stock 2,102 $ 2.7375 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 12.1458 01/22/2008   M     4,500 09/23/2000 09/24/2009 Common Stock 4,500 $ 0 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 12.4792 01/22/2008   M     2,178 11/26/2000 05/26/2010 Common Stock 2,178 $ 3.7438 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 11.7916 01/22/2008   M     2,220 02/25/2001 08/25/2010 Common Stock 2,220 $ 3.5375 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 12.2916 01/22/2008   M     4,500 09/20/2001 09/21/2010 Common Stock 4,500 $ 0 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 11.6042 01/22/2008   M     4,500 09/24/2001 09/24/2008 Common Stock 4,500 $ 0 0 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
ROSE MICHAEL D
5900 LAKE ELLENOR DRIVE
P.O. BOX 593330
ORLANDO, FL 32859-3330		   X      

Signatures

 Douglas E. Wentz, Attorney-in-fact for ROSE, MICHAEL D., 5900 Lake Ellenor Drive, P.O. Box 593330, Orlando, FL 32859-3330   01/24/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) The reporting person elected to take his quarterly cash retainer for serving as a director in the form of stock options, the number of stock options issued being the amount of cash allocated divided by the price indicated.

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