UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                     -------------------------------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

         Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): June 16, 2005



                            Darden Restaurants, Inc.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)


       Florida                        1-13666                   59-3305930
(State or Other Jurisdiction   (Commission File Number)       (IRS Employer
   of Incorporation)                                      Identification Number)

        5900 Lake Ellenor Drive, Orlando, Florida              32809

       (Address of Principal Executive Offices)              (Zip Code)

 (Registrant's telephone number, including area code):    (407) 245-4000



                                 Not Applicable
                        ---------------------------------
          (Former Name or Former Address, If Changed Since Last Report)

Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

[  ] Written communications  pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
     CFR 230.425)

[  ] Soliciting  material  pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17
     CFR 240.14a-12)

[  ] Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to Rule  14d-2(b)  under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[  ] Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to Rule  13e-4(c)  under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))





                                        
Item 1.01         Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

     On June 16, 2005, the  Compensation  Committee of the Board of Directors of
Darden  Restaurants,  Inc. (the "Company")  approved  amendments to the forms of
Non-Qualified   Stock  Option  Agreement,   Restricted  Stock  Award  Agreement,
Restricted Stock Units Award Agreement  (United States),  Restricted Stock Units
Award Agreement (Canada), Darden Stock Units Award Agreement (United States) and
Darden  Stock Units Award  Agreement  (Canada)  under the  Company's  2002 Stock
Incentive  Plan.  Each of the forms of award  agreements  was amended to reflect
updated  change of control  provisions,  and the form of Restricted  Stock Award
Agreement  was  amended to add a share  deposit  feature.  Copies of the amended
forms of award  agreements  are filed as Exhibits  10.1(a) - (f) to this Current
Report on Form 8-K.


Item 2.02         Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

     The Company  issued a news release  dated June 20, 2005,  entitled  "Darden
Restaurants Reports Annual and Fourth Quarter Diluted Net Earnings Per Share," a
copy of which is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99 to this Current Report on Form
8-K.

     The  information  under this Item 2.02 in this Current  Report on Form 8-K,
including Exhibit 99 hereto, shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section
18 of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange  Act"), or
otherwise  subject to the  liabilities of that section.  The information in this
Item  2.02 of this  Current  Report  on  Form  8-K  shall  not be  deemed  to be
incorporated  by reference in any filing under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as
amended,  or the  Exchange  Act,  except  as  expressly  set  forth by  specific
reference in such filing.





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Item 9.01   Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(C) Exhibits.

The following exhibits are being furnished with this Current Report:

         Exhibit Number
         (by reference to
         Item 601 of
         Regulation S-K)   Description of Exhibit

          10(a)            Form of Non-Qualified  Stock  Option Award  Agreement
                           under the Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock 
                           Incentive Plan.

          10(b)            Form of Restricted Stock Award Agreement under the 
                           Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive Plan.

          10(c)            Form of Restricted Stock Units Award Agreement (US) 
                           under the Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock 
                           Incentive Plan.

          10(d)            Form of Restricted Stock Units Award Agreement
                           (Canada) under the Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2002 
                           Stock Incentive Plan.

          10(e)            Form of Darden Stock Units Award Agreement (US) under
                           the Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive 
                           Plan.

          10(f)            Form of Darden Stock Units Award Agreement (Canada) 
                           under the Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock 
                           Incentive Plan.

          99               Press Release dated June 20, 2005, entitled "Darden 
                           Restaurants Reports Annual and Fourth Quarter Diluted
                           Net Earnings Per Share."


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                                   SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



Date: June 20, 2005

                                   DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC.

                                   By: /s/ Paula J. Shives                    
                                      --------------------------------------
                                      Name: Paula J. Shives
                                      Title:  Senior Vice President, General 
                                              Counsel and Secretary




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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit
Number                         Description of Exhibit

10(a)        Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Award Agreement under the Darden
             Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive Plan.

10(b)        Form of Restricted Stock Award Agreement under the Darden 
             Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive Plan.

10(c)        Form of Restricted Stock Units Award Agreement (US) under the 
             Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive Plan.

10(d)        Form of Restricted Stock Units Award Agreement (Canada) under the 
             Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive Plan.

10(e)        Form of Darden Stock Units Award Agreement (US) under the Darden 
             Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive Plan.

10(f)        Form of Darden Stock Units Award Agreement (Canada) under the 
             Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive Plan.

99           Press Release dated June 20, 2005, entitled "Darden Restaurants 
             Reports Annual and Fourth Quarter Diluted Net Earnings Per Share."




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