Statement of Changes of Beneficial Ownership

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	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Expires: February 28, 2011 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5
	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(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^* SMITH JACK A	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 (MM/DD/YYYY) 8/28/2009
(Street) ORLANDO, FL 32859-3330 (City) (State) (Zip)	4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _ X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	3. Trans. 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)
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Common Stock								66883	D

*Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ( e.g.* , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)**
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	4. Trans. 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		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (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)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)			11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Phantom Stock Units (Cash) ⁽¹⁾	$0 ⁽²⁾	8/28/2009		A		701.08		⁽¹⁾	⁽¹⁾	Common Stock	701.08	$33.52	6720.63 ⁽³⁾	D

Explanation of Responses:
( 1)	The Reporting Person elected to defer all of the quarterly Director's compensation under the Darden Restaurants, Inc. Director Compensation Program, to be paid out in cash upon the reporting person's termination of board service.
( 2)	The actual conversion rate is 1-for-1. Each Phantom Stock Unit is the economic equivalent of one share of Darden common stock.
( 3)	Includes phantom stock units acquired pursuant to a dividend equivalent reinvestment feature of the Darden Restaurants, Inc. Director Compensation Program. The number of shares reported is based on a plan statement dated July 31, 2009 and is derived from an undivided interest in a fund consisting of both Darden common stock and a small cash position that fluctuates from time to time. The number of shares reported may change based on the size of the cash position at the time of reporting.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
SMITH JACK A 5900 LAKE ELLENOR DRIVE P.O. BOX 593330 ORLANDO, FL 32859-3330	X

Signatures
Douglas E. Wentz, Attorney-in-fact for SMITH, JACK A., 5900 Lake Ellenor Drive, P.O. Box 593330, Orlando, FL 32859-3330, Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI)		9/1/2009
^** Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
*	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).
Note:	File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
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