<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000940944-03-000164
<TYPE>4/A
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030619
<FILING-DATE>20030715
<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>DIMOPOULOS LINDA J
<CIK>0001071251
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4/A
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-13666
<FILM-NUMBER>03787490
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>DARDEN RESTAURANTS INC
<STREET2>5900 LAKE ELLENOR DR
<CITY>ORLANDO
<STATE>FL
<ZIP>32809
<PHONE>4072455070
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>DARDEN RESTAURANTS INC
<STREET2>5900 LAKE ELLENOR DR
<CITY>ORLANDO
<STATE>FL
<ZIP>32809
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-19</periodOfReport><dateOfOriginalSubmission>2003-06-23</dateOfOriginalSubmission>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000940944</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DARDEN RESTAURANTS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DRI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001071251</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DIMOPOULOS LINDA J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>SVP and CFO</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>659</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>19.32</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>63592</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">This line was previously reported and is correct.  This amendment is being filed to delete the Table I transaction dated 12/16/02, reporting the disposition of 1,067 shares on vesting of restricted stock, that appeared incorrectly on the Form 4 filed 6/23/03.  This transaction has since been filed correctly on a Form 5 dated 7/9/03.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Douglas E. Wentz, Attorney-in-fact for DIMOPOULOS, LINDA J., 5900 Lake Ellenor Drive, P.O. Box 593330, Orlando, FL  32859-3330, Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI)</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-15</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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