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
Estimated average burden
hours per response... 0.5
                      
Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
                      

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *

Smith Jeffrey C 		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)

1000 DARDEN CENTER DRIVE 		3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY)

8/28/2015
(Street)

ORLANDO, FL 32837
(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)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock                  4744190.0000   I   By Managed Accounts of Starboard Value LP   (1)
Common Stock                  3457025.0000   I   By Starboard Leaders Delta LLC   (2)
Common Stock                  317952.0000   I   By Starboard Value and Opportunity C LP   (3)
Common Stock                  2535767.0000   I   By Starboard Value and Opportunity Master Fund Ltd   (4)
Common Stock                  580066.0000   I   By Starboard Value and Opportunity S LLC   (5)

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)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Restricted Stock Units (FY15 Director Compensation)   (6)   (7) 8/28/2015     A      298.0000         (8)   (8) Common Stock   298.0000   $0.0000   1095.0000   D    

Explanation of Responses:
( 1)  Shares held in certain accounts managed by Starboard Value LP (the "Managed Accounts"). The Reporting Person, solely by virtue of his position as a member of the Management Committee of Starboard Value GP LLC ("Starboard Value GP"), the general partner of Starboard Value LP, and as a member and member of the Management Committee of Starboard Principal Co GP LLC ("Principal GP"), the general partner of the member of Starboard Value GP, may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held in the Managed Accounts for purposes of Section 16. The Reporting Person expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
( 2)  Shares owned directly by Starboard Leaders Delta LLC ("Starboard Delta LLC"). The Reporting Person, solely by virtue of his position as a member of the Management Committee of Starboard Value GP, the general partner of the investment manager of Starboard Delta LLC, and as a member and member of the Management Committee of Principal GP, the general partner of the member of Starboard Value GP, may be deemed to beneficially own the shares owned directly by Starboard Delta LLC for purposes of Section 16. The Reporting Person expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
( 3)  Shares owned directly by Starboard Value and Opportunity C LP ("Starboard C LP"). The Reporting Person, solely by virtue of his position as a member of the Management Committee of Starboard Value GP, the general partner of the investment manager of Starboard C LP, and as a member and member of the Management Committee of Principal GP, the general partner of the member of Starboard Value GP, may be deemed to beneficially own the shares owned directly by Starboard C LP for purposes of Section 16. The Reporting Person expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
( 4)  Shares owned directly by Starboard Value and Opportunity Master Fund Ltd ("Starboard V&O Fund"). The Reporting Person, solely by virtue of his position as a member of the Management Committee of Starboard Value GP, the general partner of the investment manager of Starboard V&O Fund, and as a member and member of the Management Committee of Principal GP, the general partner of the member of Starboard Value GP, may be deemed to beneficially own the shares owned directly by Starboard V&O Fund for purposes of Section 16. The Reporting Person expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
( 5)  Shares owned directly by Starboard Value and Opportunity S LLC ("Starboard S LLC"). The Reporting Person, solely by virtue of his position as a member of the Management Committee of Starboard Value GP, the general partner of the manager of Starboard S LLC, and as a member and member of the Management Committee of Principal GP, the general partner of the member of Starboard Value GP, may be deemed to beneficially own the shares owned directly by Starboard S LLC for purposes of Section 16. The Reporting Person expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
( 6)  Includes FY15 and FY16 director compensation.
( 7)  The actual conversion rate is 1-for-1.
( 8)  The Reporting Person elected to take all of the quarterly cash retainer for serving as a director in the form of restricted stock units for which vested shares will be delivered to the Reporting Person on the first to occur of (i) the Reporting Person's termination of service as a director or (ii) 1/5/2024.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address
Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Smith Jeffrey C
1000 DARDEN CENTER DRIVE
ORLANDO, FL 32837 		X



Signatures
Bruce A. Brown, Attorney-in-fact for Smith, Jeffrey C. 9/1/2015
** 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.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.
Darden Restaurants (NYSE:DRI)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024 Click Here for more Darden Restaurants Charts.
Darden Restaurants (NYSE:DRI)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024 Click Here for more Darden Restaurants Charts.