content: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><edgarSubmission xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/ownership" xmlns:com="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">
    <!-- Generated by Workiva -->
    <headerData>
      <submissionType>144</submissionType>
      <filerInfo>
        <filer>
          <filerCredentials>
            <cik>0001186383</cik>
            <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
          </filerCredentials>
        </filer>
        <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
  
  
  
      </filerInfo>
    </headerData>
    <formData>
      <issuerInfo>
        <issuerCik>0000940944</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>Darden Restaurants, Inc.</issuerName>
        <secFileNumber>001-13666</secFileNumber>
        <issuerAddress>
          <com:street1>1000 Darden Center Drive</com:street1>
          <com:city>Orlando</com:city>
          <com:stateOrCountry>FL</com:stateOrCountry>
          <com:zipCode>32837</com:zipCode>
        </issuerAddress>
        <issuerContactPhone>407-245-4000</issuerContactPhone>
        <nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>Charles Sonsteby</nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>
        <relationshipsToIssuer>
          <relationshipToIssuer>Director</relationshipToIssuer>
        </relationshipsToIssuer>
      </issuerInfo>
      <securitiesInformation>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common Stock</securitiesClassTitle>
        <brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
          <name>J.P. Morgan Securities LLC</name>
          <address>
            <com:street1>390 Madison Avenue - 6th Floor</com:street1>
            <com:city>New York</com:city>
            <com:stateOrCountry>NY</com:stateOrCountry>
            <com:zipCode>10017</com:zipCode>
          </address>
        </brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
        <noOfUnitsSold>8005</noOfUnitsSold>
        <aggregateMarketValue>1637466.67</aggregateMarketValue>
        <noOfUnitsOutstanding>117146786</noOfUnitsOutstanding>
        <approxSaleDate>03/28/2025</approxSaleDate>
        <securitiesExchangeName>NYSE</securitiesExchangeName>
      </securitiesInformation>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common Stock</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>01/05/2025</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Compensation</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>3412</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>01/05/2025</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>For Services Rendered</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common Stock</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>09/18/2024</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Compensation</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>1171</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>09/18/2024</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>For Services Rendered</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common Stock</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>12/13/2019</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Compensation</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>1500</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>12/13/2019</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>For Services Rendered</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common Stock</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>01/07/2019</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Compensation</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>1922</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>01/07/2019</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>For Services Rendered</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>Y</nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>
      <noticeSignature>
        <noticeDate>03/28/2025</noticeDate>
        <signature>/s/ J.P. Morgan Securities LLC as agent and attorney-in-fact for Charles Sonsteby</signature>
      </noticeSignature>
    </formData>
  </edgarSubmission>
metadata_documents: [{"type": "144", "sequence": "1", "filename": "primary_doc.xml", "secsgml_size_bytes": 4466}]
text: 144
  0001186383
  XXXXXXXX
  LIVE
  0000940944
  Darden Restaurants, Inc.
  001-13666
  1000 Darden Center Drive
  Orlando
  FL
  32837
  407-245-4000
  Charles Sonsteby
  Director
  Common Stock
  J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  390 Madison Avenue - 6th Floor
  New York
  NY
  10017
  8005
  1637466.67
  117146786
  03/28/2025
  NYSE
  Common Stock
  01/05/2025
  Compensation
  Issuer
  N
  3412
  01/05/2025
  For Services Rendered
  Common Stock
  09/18/2024
  Compensation
  Issuer
  N
  1171
  09/18/2024
  For Services Rendered
  Common Stock
  12/13/2019
  Compensation
  Issuer
  N
  1500
  12/13/2019
  For Services Rendered
  Common Stock
  01/07/2019
  Compensation
  Issuer
  N
  1922
  01/07/2019
  For Services Rendered
  Y
  03/28/2025
  /s/ J.P. Morgan Securities LLC as agent and attorney-in-fact for Charles Sonsteby