Darden Restaurants Inc. has reported a strong performance in its second quarter, with adjusted earnings per share reaching $2.03, surpassing analyst expectations of $2.02. Although quarterly sales totaled $2.89 billion, slightly missing estimates, total sales grew by 6%, driven primarily by positive momentum at its Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse chains. The company's success is attributed to effective promotions, including the extension of the Never-Ending Pasta promotion at Olive Garden, and improvements in steak service at LongHorn. This positive performance has led to a 9% increase in Darden's stock price in premarket trading, reflecting investor confidence in the company's future growth prospects.