These risks and uncertainties include food safety and food - borne illness concerns; litigation; unfavorable publicity; federal, state and local regulation
of our business including health care reform, labor and insurance costs; technology failures; failure to execute a business continuity plan following a disaster; health concerns including virus
outbreaks; the intensely competitive nature
of the restaurant industry; factors impacting our ability to drive sales growth; the impact
of indebtedness we incurred in the RARE acquisition; our plans to expand our newer brands like Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52; our ability to successfully integrate Eddie V's restaurant operations; a lack
of suitable new restaurant locations;
higher - than - anticipated costs to open, close or remodel restaurants; increased advertising and marketing costs; a failure to develop and recruit effective leaders; the price and availability
of key food products and utilities; shortages or interruptions in the delivery
of food and other products;
volatility in the market value
of derivatives; general macroeconomic factors, including unemployment and interest rates; disruptions in the financial markets; risk
of doing business with franchisees and vendors in foreign markets; failure to protect our service marks or other intellectual property; a possible impairment in the carrying value
of our goodwill or other intangible assets; a failure
of our internal controls over financial reporting or changes in accounting standards; and other factors and uncertainties discussed from time to time in reports filed by Darden with the Securities and Exchange Commission.