## OUR STRATEGIC BUILDING BLOCKS 

A critical part of Darden’s foundation is our strategic framework, which consists of four strategic imperatives and two strategic enablers. For the past two years, we have featured one of the Company’s strategic building blocks in our annual report to shareholders . We began with Culinary and Beverage Excellence , which highlighted our commitment to not only contin- ually improving and innovating in this critically important part of our business, but also to redefining culinary and beverage excellence in casual dining. Last year, we featured Service and Hospitality Excellence , underscoring our fundamental recognition that the restaurant business is about creating great experiences, not just great menu offerings. Our goal is to establish and sustain the industry’s very highest service and hospitality standards as defined by casual dining guests. This year we focus on a third strategic imperative, Leadership Excellence.  To achieve our ultimate goal – to be the best in casual dining now and for generations – we must have leaders throughout the Company who inspire in their teams a great passion and enthusiasm for people, restaurants and dining. 

These strategic imperatives are joined by a fourth – Brand Building Excellence  – and all are supported by our strategic enablers – diversity excellence and pro- cess and technology excellence. And our entire strategic framework rests on our core values – Integrity and Fairness, Respect and Caring, Diversity, Always Learning/AlwaysTeaching, Being “of Service,”Teamwork, and Excellence. To learn more about our strategies and values, we encourage you to visit www.darden.com. 

## CONTENTS 

Letter to Shareholders 2 Leadership Defined 5-16 Financial Review 17 

Shareholder Information 52 Board of Directors 53 

