Darden Restaurants, Inc. - 1995 dated Specimen Stock Certificate

Specimen Stock printed by American Bank Note Company United States Banknote Corporation. Darden Restaurants, Inc. is a leading American multi-brand restaurant operator headquartered in Orlando, Florida. As of May 2023, Darden owns three fine dining restaurant chains: Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Eddie V's, and The Capital Grille, along with seven casual dining chains: Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52, The Capital Burger, Yard House, and Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen. The company owned Red Lobster until July 28, 2014. With over 1,800 restaurant locations and more than 175,000 employees, Darden is the largest full-service restaurant company in the world.

William "Bill" Darden opened his first restaurant, The Green Frog, in Waycross, Georgia, in 1938, at the age of 19. He went on to establish Red Lobster Inns of America, launching the first Red Lobster restaurant in Lakeland, Florida, in 1968. Darden chose Lakeland to test the viability of a seafood restaurant in a non-coastal region. The restaurant quickly gained popularity among diners and critics, and by 1970, it had expanded to three locations in Florida, with two more under construction. Despite its early success, the company lacked the resources to continue its expansion, prompting Darden to sell Red Lobster to General Mills in 1970. Red Lobster's growth formed the foundation for what would become Darden Restaurants, a major player in the dining industry. After an extended illness, Darden passed away on March 29, 1994, at the age of 75.