<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000940944-03-000137
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030619
<FILING-DATE>20030703
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>DARDEN RESTAURANTS INC
<CIK>0000940944
<ASSIGNED-SIC>5812
<IRS-NUMBER>593305930
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>FL
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0526
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>5900 LAKE ELLENOR DR
<CITY>ORLANDO
<STATE>FL
<ZIP>32809
<PHONE>4072454000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>5900 LAKE ELLENOR DRIVE
<CITY>ORLANDO
<STATE>FL
<ZIP>32809
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>GENERAL MILLS RESTAURANTS INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19950313
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>SWEATT BLAINE III
<CIK>0001018577
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-13666
<FILM-NUMBER>03775697
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>PO BOX 593330
<STREET2>C/O DARDEN RESTAURANTS INC
<CITY>ORLANDO
<STATE>FL
<ZIP>32809
<PHONE>4072454000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>5900 LAKE ELLENOR DRIVE
<CITY>ORLANDO
<STATE>FL
<ZIP>32809
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-19</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000940944</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DARDEN RESTAURANTS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DRI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001018577</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SWEATT BLAINE III</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>EVP </officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>F</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1749</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>19.32</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>318252</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>19.32</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>80000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2006-06-19</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-06-19</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>80000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>80000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Restricted Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>13311</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>13311</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>13311</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The Reporting Person beneficially owns 2,147.6908 shares of common stock indirectly in the Employee Stock Ownership Plan.  The number of shares of common stock reported in the Employee Stock Ownership Plan is based on a plan statement dated May 23, 2003, 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.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The conversion rate is actually 1-for-1</footnote><footnote id="F3">Reporting person shall be eligible to receive one share of common for each restricted stock unit on June 19, 2003, or in part, on earlier dates subject to performance-based vesting.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Douglas E. Wentz, Attorney-in-fact for SWEATT, III, BLAINE, 5900 Lake Ellenor Drive, P.O. Box 593330, Orlando, FL  32859-3330, Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI)</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-23</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
