Financial Review 2004 REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC  ACCOUNTING FIRM REPORT OF MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES The Board of Directors and Stockholders  Darden Restaurants, Inc. Tampa, Florida  June 18, 2004 Joe R. Lee Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer  In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to  above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of  Darden Restaurants, Inc. and subsidiaries as of May 30, 2004, and  May 25,2003, and the results of their operations and their cash flows  for each of the years in the three-year period ended May 30,2004,  in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm,  is retained to audit our consolidated financial statements. Their  report follows. The Audit Committee ofthe Board of Directors meets at least  quarterly to determine that management, internal auditors, and  the independent registered public accounting firm are properly  discharging their duties regarding internal control and financial  reporting. The independent registered public accounting firm,  internal auditors, and employees have full and free access to the  Audit Committee at any time. We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the  Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to  obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements  are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on  a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the  financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting  principles used and significant estimates made by management, as  well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We  believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. Management has established a system of internal controls that pro-  vides reasonable assurance that assets are adequately safeguarded,  and transactions are recorded accura tely, in all material respects,  in accordance with managements authorization. We maintain a  strong audit program that independently evaluates the adequacy and  effectiveness of internal controls. Our internal controls provide for  appropriate segregation of duties and responsibilities, and there are  documented policies regarding utilization of our assets and proper  financial reporting. These formally stated and regularly communi-  cated policies set high standards of ethical conduct for all employees. We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of  Darden Restaurants, Inc. and subsidiaries as of May 30,2004, and  May 25, 2003, and the related consolidated statements of earnings,  changes in stockholders' equity and accumulated other comprehen-  sive income (loss), and cash flows for each of the years in the three-  year period ended May 30, 2004. These consolidated financial  statements are the responsibility of the Company's management.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated  financial statements based on our audits. The management of Darden Restaurants, Inc. is responsible for the  fairness and accuracy of the conso lidated financial statements. The  consolidated financial statem ents have been prepared in accor-  dance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, using  management's best estimates and judgments where appropriate.  The financial information throughout this report is consistent with  our consolidated financial statements. Darden Restaurants  33