Clarence Otis, Jr.

Clarence Otis, Jr.

Andrew H. Madsen

Andrew H. Madsen

Dr. Leonard L. Berry

Dr. Leonard L. Berry

Odie C. Donald

Odie C. Donald

Christopher J. (CJ) Fraleigh

Christopher J. (CJ) Fraleigh

Victoria D. Harker

Victoria D. Harker

David H. Hughes

David H. Hughes

Charles A. Ledsinger, Jr.

Charles A. Ledsinger, Jr.

William M. Lewis, Jr.

William M. Lewis, Jr.

Senator Connie Mack, III

Senator Connie Mack, III

Michael D. Rose

Michael D. Rose

Maria A. Sastre

Maria A. Sastre

Clarence Otis, Jr.
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Darden Restaurants, Inc.

Andrew H. Madsen
President and Chief Operating Officer, Darden Restaurants, Inc.

Dr. Leonard L. Berry
Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence, Distinguished Professor of Marketing, and M.B. Zale Chair in Retailing and Marketing Leadership, Mays Business School, Texas A&M University.

Odie C. Donald
President of Odie Donald Investment Enterprises, LLC, a private investment firm. Retired President of DIRECTV, Inc., a satellite television service.

Christopher J. (CJ) Fraleigh
Chief Executive Officer of Sara Lee North America Retail and Foodservice and Executive Vice President of Sara Lee Corporation, a global consumer products company.

Victoria D. Harker
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of AES Corporation,
a global power company.

David H. Hughes
Retired Chairman of the Board of Hughes Supply, Inc., a building supply company.

Charles A. Ledsinger, Jr.
Chairman of Realty Investment Company, Inc., a private operating and investment company, and Sunburst Hospitality Corporation, a private hotel and real estate operator. Retired Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Choice Hotels International, a lodging franchisor.

William M. Lewis, Jr.
Managing Director and Co-Chairman of Investment Banking for Lazard Ltd., an investment banking firm.

Senator Connie Mack, III
Partner and Senior Policy Advisor of Liberty Partners Group, a public policy consulting firm. Former U.S. Senator.

Michael D. Rose
Chairman of the Board of First Horizon National Corporation, a national financial services company and Chairman of the Board of Midaro Investments, Inc.,
a privately held investment firm.

Maria A. Sastre
Chief Operating Officer of Signature Flight Support, a fixed based operation and distribution network for business aviation services and retired Vice President, International, Latin America and Caribbean Sales and Marketing, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., a global cruise line company.

Ronald Bojalad

Ronald Bojalad

JJ Buettgen

JJ Buettgen

John Caron

John Caron

Valerie Collins

Valerie Collins

David George

David George

Valerie Insignares

Valerie Insignares

Eugene Lee

Eugene Lee

Kim Lopdrup

Kim Lopdrup

Robert McAdam

Robert McAdam

Barry Moullet

Barry Moullet

Daisy Ng

Daisy Ng

David Pickens

David Pickens

Patti Reilly White3

Patti Reilly White

Brad Richmond

Brad Richmond

Teresa Sebastian

Teresa Sebastian

Suk Singh

Suk Singh

Ronald Bojalad
Senior Vice President,
Group Human Resources

JJ Buettgen
Senior Vice President,
Chief Marketing Officer

John Caron
President,
Olive Garden

Valerie Collins
Senior Vice President,
Corporate Controller

David George
President,
LongHorn Steakhouse

Valerie Insignares
Senior Vice President,
Chief Restaurant Operations Officer

Eugene Lee
President,
Specialty Restaurant Group

Kim Lopdrup
Senior Vice President,
Business Development

Robert McAdam
Senior Vice President,
Government and Community Affairs

Barry Moullet
Senior Vice President,
Chief Supply Chain Officer

Daisy Ng
Senior Vice President,
Chief Human Resources Officer

David Pickens
President,
Red Lobster

Patti Reilly White
Senior Vice President,
Chief Information Officer

Brad Richmond
Senior Vice President,
Chief Financial Officer

Teresa Sebastian
Senior Vice President,
General Counsel and Secretary

Suk Singh
Senior Vice President,
Chief Development Officer

Company Address
Darden Restaurants, Inc.
1000 Darden Center Drive
Orlando, FL 32837
(407) 245-4000

Mailing Address
Darden Restaurants, Inc.
P.O. Box 695011
Orlando, FL 32869-5011

Website Addresses
www.darden.com
www.redlobster.com
www.olivegarden.com
www.longhornsteakhouse.com
www.thecapitalgrille.com
www.bahamabreeze.com
www.seasons52.com

Transfer Agent, Registrar and Dividend Payments
Wells Fargo Shareowner Services
161 N. Concord Exchange
South St. Paul, MN 55075-1139
Phone: (877) 602-7596 or (651) 450-4064
www.wellsfargo.com/com/shareowner_services
Address correspondence as appropriate to the attention of:
Address Changes
Stock Transfers
Shareholder Services

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
KPMG LLP
111 North Orange Avenue
Suite 1600
Orlando, FL 32801
Phone: (407) 423-3426

Form 10-K Report
Shareholders may request a free copy of our Form 10-K, including schedules but excluding exhibits, by writing to:
Investor Relations, Darden Restaurants, Inc.
P.O. Box 695011, Orlando, FL 32869-5011

Forward-Looking Statements
This report contains forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Additional cautionary and other information with respect to these forward-looking statements is set forth in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Forward-Looking Statements."

Shareholder Reports/Investor Inquiries
Shareholders seeking information about Darden Restaurants, Inc. are invited to contact the Investor Relations Department at (800) 832-7336. Shareholders may request to receive, free of charge, copies of quarterly earnings releases.

Information may also be obtained by visiting our website at www.darden.com. Annual reports, SEC filings, press releases, and other Company news are readily available on the website.

Our website also includes corporate governance information, including our Corporate Governance Guidelines, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, and board committee charters, including the charters for our Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Governance Committees. We believe we are in compliance with the applicable corporate governance listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange, as of the date of this report.

Darden Restaurants Being of Service Report
To receive a copy of the 2011 Darden Restaurants Being of Service Report, mail a request to the Foundation Administrator, Darden Restaurants, Inc., P.O. Box 695011, Orlando, FL 32869-5011, or visit our website at www.darden.com.

Notice of Annual Meeting
The Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be held at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time on Thursday, September 22, 2011, at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport, 9300 Airport Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32827.

As of the close of business on June 30th, 2011, we had 40,939 registered shareholders of record.

Markets
New York Stock Exchange Stock Exchange Symbol: DRI