Sec Form 4 Filing - LEE EUGENE I JR @ DARDEN RESTAURANTS INC - 2023-07-19

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 Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person LEE EUGENE I JR 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) X __ Other (specify below) Chairman of the Board (Last) (First) (Middle) 1000 DARDEN CENTER DRIVE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 07/19/2023 (Street) ORLANDO, FL32837 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) __ X __ Form filed by One Reporting Person _____ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 3. Transaction 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 07/19/2023 S( 1 ) 33,000 ( 2 ) D $ 170.09 ( 3 ) 0 I By Kiawah Creek 2, LLC Common Stock 157,957 D
Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 4. Transaction 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 (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (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
Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other LEE EUGENE I JR 1000 DARDEN CENTER DRIVE ORLANDO, FL32837 X Chairman of the Board	Signatures Anthony G. Morrow, Attorney-in-fact for Lee, Eugene I. Jr. 07/20/2023 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )Kiawah Creek 2, LLC, a limited liability company owned by the reporting person, contributed Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) common stock to an exchange fund in exchange for units of the exchange fund. The transaction with the exchange fund closed on July 19, 2023, pursuant to a subscription agreement signed on March 27, 2023 by Kiawah Creek 2, LLC. ( 2 )On July 5, 2023, 33,000 directly held common shares were transferred to Kiawah Creek 2, LLC, a limited liability company owned by the reporting person, at which time those shares became indirectly owned by the reporting person. ( 3 )The price per share used by the exchange fund for the DRI common stock contributed by Kiawah Creek 2, LLC was based on the closing price as of July 18, 2023, the day before the exchange fund transaction closed.

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).

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