SIXTY STUDENTS ENROLLED AT HISTORICALLY
BLACK COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES RECEIVE
$2,500 SCHOLARSHIPS FROM RED LOBSTER

Seafood Restaurant Donates $150,000 To Tom Joyner Foundation

ORLANDO, Fla. (January 10, 2003) - Continuing its tradition of supporting diversity in its restaurants and in the communities in which it does business, Red Lobster has donated $150,000 to the Tom Joyner Foundation in 2002, providing 60 students enrolled at historically black colleges and universities around the nation with scholarships.

Over the course of the 2002 - beginning January 18 in San Antonio and wrapping up December 6 in Birmingham, Ala. - the world's largest seafood dining company made a series of donations to the Foundation during Tom Joyner Sky Shows, a 30-city tour of the nation's top-rated urban radio show, the Tom Joyner Morning Show. Two scholarships of $2,500 each were awarded to select African-American students at each Sky Show.

"With this $150,000 donation, Red Lobster continues to demonstrate its ongoing support of the community by helping young people further their education," said Ken Mills, vice president of marketing for Red Lobster. "Our company-wide commitment is visible every day in our diverse workforce, our community involvement and our business practices"

The Tom Joyner Foundation, which was founded by Tom Joyner, Sr., host of the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show, has raised more than $12 million for African-American students. Joyner's Sky Show features the cast and crew from the morning show, as well as top-recording artists, and is the largest free African-American live entertainment series in the nation.

"We appreciate Red Lobster's support of the Tom Joyner Foundation and their commitment to education," said Tom Joyner Jr., president and CEO of the Tom Joyner Foundation. "These scholarships will help deserving students continue their education. Red Lobster is making a meaningful difference in the lives of young people attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities."

Red Lobster and its parent company, Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: DRI), have a long tradition of supporting diversity in its restaurants and the communities in which it operates. Most recently, People Report™ honored Red Lobster with the 2001 Best People Practices Award for hiring a diverse management workforce. In addition, Fortune magazine named Darden to its list of "The 50 Best Companies for Minorities" for three consecutive years, including 2001. Fortune noted in 2001 that Darden has the most diverse Board of Directors among the Fortune 500 companies. Moreover, the company's charitable arm, the Darden Restaurants Foundation, recently awarded a grant generating $1.2 million to the University of Florida's Warrington College of Business, establishing the first comprehensive diversity and business ethics program in Florida and the first such program in the nation endowed by a hospitality company.

Red Lobster operates over 660 restaurants in the United States and Canada and employs approximately 70,000 crewmembers. The company is a subsidiary of Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: DRI). Darden also owns and operates Olive Garden, Bahama Breeze and Smokey Bones BBQ Sports Bar restaurants. For the Red Lobster nearest you, call 1-800-LOBSTER or visit www.redlobster.com.
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Note: For a list of scholarship recipients, please email: rstein@piersongrant.com.