Trust
      Is A Function of Consistent Execution

It is hard to think of a more important word in the art of brand management excellence than "consistency." A brand that delivers on its promise time and again builds credibility, equity and ultimately a trusted relationship with its customers. Those trusted brands have the potential to enjoy long-term growth and prosperity, and, indeed, become cultural icons that endure for generations. Realizing this potential is our goal for every Darden brand.

   Consistent delivery comes through flawless execution. At Darden, we have long referred to this as being "brilliant with the basics," and it is a core operating philosophy. This seemingly simple axiom, however, takes on entirely new meaning when it must be executed across hundreds of restaurants by thousands of employees. A clear brand promise helps ensure that everyone understands exactly what's expected – whether they are a 20-year veteran of Red Lobster in Atlanta or a new crew member in Seattle.

   It also is critical to build restaurant operating excellence that delivers consistency and fosters continuous improvement to drive top- and bottom-line growth. After 37 years, Red Lobster is still finding new and better ways to operate. Its "Simply Great" operating discipline is designed to achieve great performance by eliminating unnecessary complexity and variability. It helps Red Lobster achieve best-ever guest satisfaction results on every food, service, atmosphere and value measure we track, while simultaneously improving restaurant operating efficiency. This helped drive Red Lobster's guest count trend turnaround in fiscal 2005 and significantly boosted profit margins.

   We also foster consistency by leveraging efficient new work processes and new functional expertise developed by one operating company across all of our restaurants. Olive Garden, for instance, developed a highly disciplined process for creating promotions that deliver increased guest counts and satisfaction levels. Red Lobster recently adapted the process for its own promotional programs. This type of best-practice sharing between our brands enhances continuity and consistency, further enabling us to make and keep our brand promises - each and every time.