DARDEN RESTAURANTS INC

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. )

Check the appropriate box:

DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

Our Brands

August 10, 2026

Dear Shareholders:

On behalf of your Board of Directors, it is my pleasure to invite you to attend the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Darden Restaurants, Inc. We will hold the Annual Meeting on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time, online via the internet at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/DRI2026. All holders of our outstanding common shares as of the close of business on July 29, 2026, are entitled to vote at the meeting. We will furnish proxy materials to shareholders via the internet, which allows us to provide you with the information you need while lowering the costs of delivery and reducing the environmental impact of our Annual Meeting. The notice of meeting and Proxy Statement contain important details about the business to be conducted at the Annual Meeting. Please read these documents carefully. We will provide an opportunity during the meeting for discussion of each item of business, and we anticipate responding to shareholder questions as described in this Proxy Statement. If you will need special assistance during the meeting because of a disability, please contact Lindsay L. Koren, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, and Corporate Secretary, Darden Restaurants, Inc., 1000 Darden Center Drive, Orlando, Florida 32837, phone (407) 245-6789. Whether or not you plan to attend, it is important that your shares be represented and voted at the meeting. Please refer to the proxy card or Notice of Availability of Proxy Materials for more information on how to vote your shares at the meeting. Your vote is important. Thank you for your support.

Sincerely, Cynthia T. JamisonChair of the Board of Directors

Notice of 2026 Annual

Meeting of Shareholders

To be held on September 23, 2026

Table of Contents

Proxy Statement for Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on September 23, 2026

The Board of Directors (the Board) of Darden Restaurants, Inc. (Darden, the Company, we, us, or our) is soliciting your proxy for use at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on September 23, 2026 (the Annual Meeting). This Proxy Statement summarizes information concerning the matters to be presented at the Annual Meeting and related information that will help you make an informed vote at the meeting. This Proxy Statement and the proxy card are first being distributed or otherwise furnished to shareholders on or about August 10, 2026. Capitalized terms used in this Proxy Statement that are not otherwise defined are defined in Appendix A to this document.