How Cardenas was paid
$14M in total for 2025, as reported in the Summary Compensation Table. Equity awards are valued at grant, not at what they turned out to be worth.
Named executive officers
| Executive | Salary | Stock | Options | Incentive | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ricardo CardenasPresident and Chief Executive Officer | $1,265,385 | $8,103,687 | $2,194,486 | $1,898,077 | $534,236 | $13,995,870 |
| Rajesh VennamSenior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer | $791,346 | $2,277,870 | $616,848 | $712,212 | $240,013 | $4,638,289 |
| Todd A. BurrowesGroup President | $770,673 | $1,314,136 | $355,857 | $732,139 | $319,422 | $3,492,227 |
| Daniel J. KiernanPresident, Olive Garden | $770,673 | $1,489,268 | $403,334 | $732,139 | $304,039 | $3,699,453 |
| M. John MartinGroup President | $770,673 | $1,314,136 | $355,857 | $345,570 | $269,819 | $3,056,055 |
What changed and why
- $14M$13,995,870 CEO total compensation increased from $12,004,427 in fiscal 2024.
- 90%More than 90% of the CEO’s fiscal 2025 target total direct compensation was performance-based.
- 77%77% of other NEOs’ fiscal 2025 target total direct compensation was performance-based.
- 0%PSU awards used relative TSR, with actual awards ranging from 0% to 200% of target.
- 95.17%95.17% of votes supported executive compensation at the 2024 Annual Meeting.
Other Darden Restaurants proxy statements
- 2026 proxy statement
Ricardo Cardenas paid $34.8M (+149% on the year), pay ratio 1,468:1.
Filed Aug 10, 2026
About this page
Figures are automated and can be wrong; check the filing for the exact numbers. Totals follow SEC rules, which value stock and option awards at grant. Read the DEF 14A proxy statement for footnotes and the compensation committee's full reasoning.