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                                  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: March 21, 2006
                        (Date of earliest event reported)


                            DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                         Commission File Number: 1-13666


        Florida                                            59-3305930
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) (IRS Employer Identification No.)

                 5900 Lake Ellenor Drive, Orlando, Florida 32809
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

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

                                 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))

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Item 2.02  Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

Darden  Restaurants,  Inc. (the "Company") issued a news release dated March 21,
2006,  entitled "Darden  Restaurants  Reports Third Quarter Diluted Net Earnings
Per Share of 67 Cents, Up 20% From Prior Year;  Declares Divided of 20 Cents Per
Share," a copy of which is  furnished  herewith  as Exhibit  99 to this  Current
Report on Form 8-K.

The information in 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.

(d) Exhibits.

         The following exhibit is being furnished with this Current Report:

         Exhibit Number    Description

               99        Press  Release dated March 21, 2006,  entitled  "Darden
                         Restaurants  Reports Third Quarter Diluted Net Earnings
                         Per Share of 67 Cents, Up 20% From Prior Year; Declares
                         Dividend of 20 Cents 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.


                                      DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC.




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




Date:  March 21, 2006




























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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit Number           Description of Exhibit

   99                    Press  Release dated March 21, 2006,  entitled  "Darden
                         Restaurants  Reports Third Quarter Diluted Net Earnings
                         Per Share of 67 Cents, Up 20% From Prior Year; Declares
                         Dividend of 20 Cents Per Share."
















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