How Cardenas was paid
$34.8M in total for 2026, 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 | $1,325,000 | $25,879,154 | $2,380,093 | $4,107,501 | $1,124,230 | $34,815,979 |
| Rajesh VennamSenior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer | $815,385 | $2,403,189 | $671,323 | $1,137,462 | $435,280 | $5,462,639 |
| Todd A. BurrowesGroup President and President, Chuy's | $811,058 | $1,310,968 | $366,196 | $1,194,282 | $410,154 | $4,092,658 |
| M. John MartinGroup President | $811,058 | $1,310,968 | $366,196 | $1,194,282 | $416,271 | $4,098,775 |
| Sarah H. KingSenior Vice President, Chief People Officer | $612,981 | $1,179,748 | $329,569 | $839,273 | $279,569 | $3,241,140 |
| Matthew R. BroadFormer Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary | $450,000 | $1,485,540 | $415,008 | $592,875 | $305,158 | $3,248,581 |
What changed and why
- $34.8M$34,815,979 CEO total compensation increased from $13,995,870 in fiscal 2025.
- $17.4M$17,358,893 CEO Special Equity Award was granted in September 2025 for retention.
- 200%200% maximum PSU payout was available for fiscal 2026 equity awards.
- Relative TSR determined PSU vesting, with most awards vesting over three or four years.
- 90%90%+ of the CEO’s target total direct compensation was performance-based.
- 77%77% of other NEO target total direct compensation was performance-based.
Other Darden Restaurants proxy statements
- 2025 proxy statement
Ricardo Cardenas paid $14M (+17% on the year), pay ratio 606:1.
Filed Aug 04, 2025
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.