S-8

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 1, 2013

Registration No. 333-            

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Florida	59-3305930
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. employer identification no.)

1000 Darden Center Drive

Orlando, Florida 32837

(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip code)

Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended

(Full title of the plan)

Teresa M. Sebastian, Esq.

Senior Vice President,

General Counsel and Secretary

Darden Restaurants, Inc.

1000 Darden Center Drive

Orlando, Florida 32837

(407) 245-4000

(Name, address and telephone number,

including area code, of agent for service)

With copies to:

Dee Ann Dorsey, Esq.

Hunton & Williams LLP

200 Park Avenue - 52nd Floor

New York, NY 10166

(212) 309-1174

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large accelerated filer	x		Accelerated filer	¨
Non-accelerated filer	¨	(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)	Smaller reporting company	¨

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

Title of securities to be registered	Amount to be registered (1)	Proposed maximum offering price per share or stock option	Proposed maximum aggregate offering price	Amount of registration fee
Common Stock, without par value(2)	6,800,000 shares	$46.10(3)	$313,480,000(3)	$	40,376.23
Stock Options (4)	(4)	(4)	(4)	(4)

(1) Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”), this registration statement also covers any additional shares of Common Stock which become issuable under the Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended, pursuant to its antidilution provisions.

(2) Includes rights to purchase shares of Series A Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock, which rights are attached to and trade with the Common Stock.

(3) Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(c) and (h)(1) under the Securities Act based on the average of the high and low sales prices of the registrant's Common Stock traded on the New York Stock Exchange as reported in the consolidated reporting system on September 26, 2013.

(4) Certain stock options offered under the Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended, may be purchased by participants in the Plan. The shares of Common Stock to be issued upon the exercise of such options are included in the shares of Common Stock registered pursuant to this registration statement.

PART II.

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The following documents, which have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Darden Restaurants, Inc. (“we,” “us” or “Darden”), are incorporated by reference in this registration statement (excluding any documents or portions of documents not deemed to be filed):

(a) our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 26, 2013, filed July 19, 2013;

(b) our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended August 25, 2013, filed September 30, 2013;

(c) our current reports on Form 8-K filed July 10 and September 20, 2013; and

(d) the description of our common stock and preferred stock purchase rights contained in any registration statement or report filed by us under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

In addition, all documents filed by us pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date hereof and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold, or which deregisters all securities remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the respective dates of filing of such documents.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

Douglas E. Wentz, who has given an opinion of counsel with respect to the securities to which the registration statement relates, is an employee and officer (Senior Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary) of Darden. Mr. Wentz is a participant in the Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended. As of September 26, 2013, Mr. Wentz held 8,688 shares of Darden common stock, 7,630 Darden phantom stock units, and options to purchase 18,148 shares of Darden common stock.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Florida law contains provisions permitting and, in some situations, requiring Florida corporations to provide indemnification to their officers and directors for losses and litigation expense incurred in connection with their service to the corporation in those capacities. Our articles of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions requiring us to indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by law. Among other things, these provisions provide indemnification for officers and directors against liabilities for judgments in and settlements of lawsuits and other proceedings and for the advancement and payment of fees and expenses reasonably incurred by the director or officer in defense of any such lawsuit or proceeding. Our articles of incorporation also provide that if Florida law is amended to further eliminate or limit the liability of directors, then the liability of our directors shall be eliminated or limited, without further shareholder action, to the fullest extent permissible under Florida law as so amended.

In addition, our articles of incorporation and bylaws authorize us to purchase insurance for our directors and officers insuring them against certain risks as to which we may be unable lawfully to indemnify them. We maintain such insurance coverage for our officers and directors as well as insurance coverage to reimburse Darden for potential costs of our corporate indemnification of officers and directors.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.

4.1 Articles of Incorporation as amended May 26, 2005 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3(a) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 29, 2005).

4.2 Bylaws as amended June 20, 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed June 22, 2012).

4.3 Rights Agreement dated as of May 16, 2005, between Darden and Wachovia Bank, National Association, as Rights Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed May 16, 2005).

4.4 Amendment to Rights Agreement dated as of June 2, 2006, by and between Darden, Wachovia Bank, National Association and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as successor Rights Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 5, 2006).

4.5 Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended effective September 18, 2013 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 20, 2013).

5.1 Opinion of Counsel.

23.1 Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5.1).

23.2 Consent of KPMG LLP.

24.1 Power of Attorney.

Item 9. Undertakings.

(a)    The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1)    To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i)    To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”);

(ii)    To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii)    To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

(2)    That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3)    To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(b)    The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(h)    Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Orlando, State of Florida, on the 1st day of October 2013.

DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC.
By:	/s/ C. Bradford Richmond
	C. Bradford Richmond,
	Attorney-in-fact for:
	Clarence Otis, Jr.
	Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 1st day of October 2013.

Signature	Title
/s/ C. Bradford Richmond	Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
C. Bradford Richmond, Attorney-in-fact for: Clarence Otis, Jr. /s/ C. Bradford Richmond	(principal executive officer) Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
C. Bradford Richmond /s/ C. Bradford Richmond	(principal financial and accounting officer)
C. Bradford Richmond Attorney-in-fact for:
Michael W. Barnes	Director
Leonard L. Berry	Director
Christopher J. Fraleigh	Director
Victoria D. Harker	Director
David H. Hughes	Director
Charles A. Ledsinger, Jr.	Director
William M. Lewis, Jr.	Director
Cornelius McGillicuddy, III	Director
Michael D. Rose	Director
Maria A. Sastre	Director
William S. Simon	Director

EXHIBIT INDEX

4.1	Articles of Incorporation as amended May 26, 2005 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3(a) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 29, 2005).
4.2	Bylaws as amended June 20, 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed June 22, 2012).
4.3	Rights Agreement dated as of May 16, 2005, between Darden and Wachovia Bank, National Association, as Rights Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed May 16, 2005).
4.4	Amendment to Rights Agreement dated as of June 2, 2006, by and between Darden, Wachovia Bank, National Association and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as successor Rights Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 5, 2006).
4.5	Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended effective September 18, 2013 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 20, 2013).
5.1	Opinion of Counsel.
23.1	Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5.1).
23.2	Consent of KPMG LLP.
24.1	Power of Attorney.

EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

[Letterhead of Darden Restaurants, Inc.]

October 1, 2013

Board of Directors

Darden Restaurants, Inc.

1000 Darden Center Drive

Orlando, Florida 32837

Re:    Registration Statement on Form S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am Senior Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Darden Restaurants, Inc., a Florida corporation (the “Company”), and I have acted as counsel to the Company in connection with the Company's registration statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) relating to the registration by the Company of 6,800,000 shares of Common Stock, without par value (the “Common Shares”), of the Company and associated rights to purchase Shares of Series A Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock (“Rights”), to be issued from time to time under the Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended (the “Plan”).

I have examined such documents and reviewed such questions of law as I have considered necessary and appropriate for the purposes of my opinions set forth below, including but not limited to the Rights Agreement dated as of May 16, 2005 between the Company and Wachovia Bank, National Association (Wachovia), as Rights Agent, and the Amendment to the Rights Agreement dated as of June 2, 2006, by and between the Company, Wachovia and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as successor Rights Agent, relating to the Rights (as amended, the “Rights Agreement”). In rendering my opinions, I have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals, the genuineness of all signatures and the conformity to authentic originals of all documents submitted to me as copies. I have also assumed the legal capacity for all purposes relevant hereto of all natural persons and, with respect to all parties to agreements or instruments relevant hereto other than the Company, that such parties had the requisite power and authority (corporate or otherwise) to execute, deliver and perform such agreements or instruments, that such agreements or instruments have been duly authorized by all requisite action (corporate or otherwise), executed and delivered by such parties and that such agreements or instruments are the valid, binding and enforceable obligations of such parties. As to questions of fact material to my opinions, I have relied upon certificates of officers of the Company and of public officials.

In rendering my opinion regarding the Rights, I have assumed that the Board of Directors of the Company has acted and will act in accordance with its fiduciary duties with respect to the administration of the Rights Agreement and the issuance of the Rights thereunder. In connection with the foregoing, my opinion does not address the determination a court of competent jurisdiction may make regarding whether the Board of Directors of the Company would be required to redeem or terminate, or take other action with respect to, the Rights at some future time. Further, my opinion addresses the Rights Agreement and the Rights in their entirety and not any particular provision of them, and it is not settled whether the invalidity of any particular provision would invalidate the Rights in their entirety.

Based on the foregoing, I am of the opinion that the Common Shares and related Rights have been duly authorized, and upon issuance, delivery and payment in accordance with the terms of the Plan, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

My opinion expressed above is limited to the laws of the State of Florida.

I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, and to the use of my name under the caption “Interests of Named Experts and Counsel”. In giving such consent, I do not thereby admit that I am in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Douglas E. Wentz

Douglas E. Wentz

EX-23.2

Exhibit 23.2

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors

Darden Restaurants, Inc.:

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the registration statement on Form S-8 of Darden Restaurants, Inc. of our reports dated July 19, 2013, with respect to the consolidated balance sheets of Darden Restaurants, Inc. and subsidiaries as of May 26, 2013 and May 27, 2012, and the related consolidated statements of earnings, comprehensive income, changes in stockholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the fiscal years in the three-year period ended May 26, 2013, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of May 26, 2013, which reports are included in the 2013 Annual Report to Shareholders included as an exhibit to the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended May 26, 2013 of Darden Restaurants, Inc.

/s/KPMG LLP

Orlando, Florida

October 1, 2013

Certified Public Accountants

EX-24.1

Exhibit 24.1

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Clarence Otis, Jr., C. Bradford Richmond and Teresa M. Sebastian, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign a Registration Statement on Form S-8 of Darden Restaurants, Inc. and any or all amendments (including post-effective amendments) thereto, relating to the Darden Restaurants, Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as might or could be done in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their substitute of substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Power of Attorney has been signed on this 17th day of September, 2013, by the following persons.

/s/ Michael W. Barnes	/s/William M. Lewis, Jr.
Michael W. Barnes	William M. Lewis, Jr.
/s/ Leonard L. Berry	/s/Andrew H. Madsen
Leonard L. Berry	Andrew H. Madsen
/s/ Christopher J. Fraleigh	/s/Cornelius McGillicuddy, III
Christopher J. Fraleigh	Cornelius McGillicuddy, III
/s/ Victoria D. Harker	/s/Clarence Otis, Jr.
Victoria D. Harker	Clarence Otis, Jr.
/s/ David H. Hughes	/s/Michael D. Rose
David H. Hughes	Michael D. Rose
/s/ Charles A. Ledsinger, Jr.	/s/Maria A. Sastre
Charles A. Ledsinger, Jr.	Maria A. Sastre
	/s/William S. Simon
	William S. Simon