<SUBMISSION>
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<PERIOD>20030525
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<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
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<CIK>0000940944
<ASSIGNED-SIC>5812
<IRS-NUMBER>593305930
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>FL
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0526
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<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
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<CITY>ORLANDO
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<FORMER-COMPANY>
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<DATE-CHANGED>19950313
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<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
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<FILING-VALUES>
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<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>5
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
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id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2002-12-10</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value>L</value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>10.785</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>20.65</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10.785</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20447.237</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2002-12-17</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value>L</value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>11.505</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>19.61</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>11.505</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20458.742</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2002-12-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value>L</value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>21.898</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>20.45</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>21.898</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20480.64</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-01-07</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value>L</value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>10.867</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>22.44</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10.867</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20491.507</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-01-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value>L</value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>10.78</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>22.57</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10.78</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20502.287</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock Untis</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-01-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value>L</value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>11.111</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>21.87</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>11.111</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20513.398</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-01-24</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value>L</value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>11.493</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>21.18</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>11.493</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20524.891</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-02-04</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value>L</value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>11.145</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>21.88</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>11.145</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20536.036</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-02-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value>L</value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>11.4</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>21.18</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>11.4</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20547.436</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-02-18</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value>L</value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>13.982</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>17.16</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>13.982</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20561.418</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Conversion rate is 1-for-1</footnote><footnote id="F2">These Phantom Stock Units are credited under in a non-qualified deferred compensation plan and may be converted immediately.  The Phantom Stock Units are payable only in cash following the reporting person's termination of employment or other date pursuant to the plan.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Purchased over a period of time from July 23, 2002 - August 23, 2002 (prior to the effective date on August 27, 2003 of certain changes in SEC Form 4 reporting requirements) by weekly payroll deduction, with stock prices ranging from $20.50 - $25.40 per share.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Represents two contributions made through payroll deduction for the payroll dated June 28, 2002 and July 12, 2002, that both posted July 16, 2002, with stock prices of $24.70 and $21.17, respectively.</footnote><footnote id="F5">The attached Exhibit 99 lists additional Table II transactions.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Douglas E. Wentz, Attorney-in-fact for RIVERA, RICHARD E., 5900 Lake Ellenor Dr., P.O. Box 593330, Orlando, FL  32859-3330, Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI)</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-09</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99
<SEQUENCE>3
<FILENAME>rivera_attachment.txt
<DESCRIPTION>LIST OF ADDITIONAL TABLE II TRANSACTIONS
<TEXT>
Exhibit 99

Form 5 (continued)

1. Name and address of Reporting Person:
Richard E. Rivera
5900 Lake Ellenor Drive
P.O. Box 593330
Orlando, FL  32859-3330

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol:
Darden Restaurants, Inc.  (DRI)

3. Statement for Issuers Fiscal Year Ended: 5/25/03


TABLE II Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned


Phantom Stock                    (2)   (2)  Common
Units  0(1) 02/25/03 A 13.912 8/8/88 8/8/88 Stock 13.912 $17.12 20,575.33   D
Phantom Stock                    (2)   (2)  Common
Units  0(1) 03/04/03 A 14.026 8/8/88 8/8/88 Stock 14.026 $17.21 20,589.356  D
Phantom Stock                    (2)    (2) Common
Units  0(1) 03/11/03 A 13.595 8/8/88 8/8/88 Stock 13.595 $17.78 20,602.951  D
Phantom Stock                    (2)   (2)  Common
Units  0(1) 03/18/03 A 12.146 8/8/88 8/8/88 Stock 12.146 $20.05 20,615.097  D
Phantom Stock                    (2)   (2)  Common
Units  0(1) 03/25/03 A 13.19  8/8/88 8/8/88 Stock 13.19  $18.75 20,628.287  D
Phantom Stock                    (2)   (2)  Common
Units  0(1) 04/01/03 A 13.793 8/8/88 8/8/88 Stock 13.793 $17.64 20,642.08   D
Phantom Stock                    (2)   (2)  Common
Units  0(1) 04/08/03 A 13.069 8/8/88 8/8/88 Stock 13.069 $18.53 20,655.149  D
Phantom Stock                    (2)   (2)  Common
Units  0(1) 04/15/03 A 12.704  8/8/88 8/8/88 Stock 12.704 $19.11 20,667.853 D
Phantom Stock                     (2)   (2)  Common
Units  0(1) 04/22/03 A 12.274  8/8/88 8/8/88 Stock 12.274 $19.95 20,680.127 D
Phantom Stock                     (2)   (2)  Common
Units  0(1) 04/29/03 A 12.286  8/8/88 8/8/88 Stock 12.286 $19.77 20,692.413 D
Phantom Stock                      (2)   (2) Common
Units  0(1) 05/01/03 A 47.561  8/8/88 8/8/88 Stock 47.561 $17.48 20,739.974 D
Phantom Stock                      (2)   (2) Common
Units  0(1) 05/06/03 A 13.128  8/8/88 8/8/88 Stock 13.128 $18.40 20,753.102 D
Phantom Stock                      (2)   (2) Common
Units  0(1) 05/13/03 A 14.880  8/8/88 8/8/88 Stock 14.880 $18.85 20,767.982 D
Phantom Stock                      (2)   (2) Common
Units  0(1) 05/20/03 A 13.479  8/8/88 8/8/88 Stock 13.479 $18.18 20,781.461 D


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