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)
03/17/2008
(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 03/17/2008   M   723 A $ 17.3124 45,699 D  
Common Stock 03/17/2008   M   1,290 A $ 14.0833 46,989 D  
Common Stock 03/17/2008   M   1,124 A $ 19.14 48,113 D  
Common Stock 03/17/2008   M   1,143 A $ 18.8133 49,256 D  
Common Stock 03/17/2008   M   4,500 A $ 15.9933 53,756 D  
Common Stock 03/17/2008   M   938 A $ 20.4466 54,694 D  
Common Stock 03/17/2008   M   1,106 A $ 21.56 55,800 D  
Common Stock 03/17/2008   M   1,126 A $ 17.02 56,926 D  
Common Stock 03/17/2008   M   393 A $ 16.97 57,319 D  
Common Stock 03/17/2008   M   2,031 A $ 18.31 59,350 D  
Common Stock 03/17/2008   M   1,571 A $ 20.905 60,921 D  
Common Stock 03/17/2008   M   3,000 A $ 18.815 63,921 D  
Common Stock 03/17/2008   M   1,593 A $ 19.575 65,514 D  
Common Stock 03/17/2008   M   1,093 A $ 22.12 66,607 D  
Common Stock 03/17/2008   M   1,540 A $ 22.41 68,147 D  
Common Stock 03/17/2008   M   1,893 A $ 21.225 70,040 D  
Common Stock 03/17/2008   M   3,000 A $ 23.565 73,040 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) $ 17.3124 03/17/2008   M     723 05/24/2001 11/24/2010 Common Stock 723 $ 5.1937 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 14.0833 03/17/2008   M     1,290 08/23/2001 02/23/2011 Common Stock 1,290 $ 4.2249 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 19.14 03/17/2008   M     1,124 11/28/2001 05/28/2011 Common Stock 1,124 $ 5.742 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 18.8133 03/17/2008   M     1,143 02/24/2002 08/24/2011 Common Stock 1,143 $ 5.6439 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 15.9933 03/17/2008   M     4,500 09/20/2002 09/21/2011 Common Stock 4,500 $ 0 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 20.4466 03/17/2008   M     938 05/23/2002 11/23/2011 Common Stock 938 $ 6.1339 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 21.56 03/17/2008   M     1,106 05/22/2003 11/22/2012 Common Stock 1,106 $ 6.468 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 17.02 03/17/2008   M     1,126 08/21/2003 02/21/2013 Common Stock 1,126 $ 5.106 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 16.97 03/17/2008   M     393 08/25/2003 02/25/2013 Common Stock 393 $ 5.091 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 18.31 03/17/2008   M     2,031 11/23/2003 05/23/2013 Common Stock 2,031 $ 5.493 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 20.905 03/17/2008   M     1,571 02/22/2004 08/22/2013 Common Stock 1,571 $ 6.2715 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 18.815 03/17/2008   M     3,000 09/25/2004 09/26/2013 Common Stock 3,000 $ 0 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 19.575 03/17/2008   M     1,593 05/21/2004 11/21/2013 Common Stock 1,593 $ 5.8725 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 22.12 03/17/2008   M     1,093 08/20/2004 02/20/2014 Common Stock 1,093 $ 6.636 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 22.41 03/17/2008   M     1,540 11/28/2004 05/29/2014 Common Stock 1,540 $ 6.723 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 21.225 03/17/2008   M     1,893 02/27/2005 08/27/2014 Common Stock 1,893 $ 6.3675 (1) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 23.565 03/17/2008   M     3,000 09/29/2005 09/29/2014 Common Stock 3,000 $ 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   03/19/2008
**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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