Animal control responded at about 7:30 p.m. to a call from Fresh Choice at 1099 El Camino Real, where an employee reported finding a wild gopher snake in the men's bathroom, Peninsula Humane Society spokesman Scott Delucchi said.
The snake, which probably made its way into the restaurant looking for food or seeking shelter, was taken to the Peninsula Humane Society's shelter, where it spent the night, Delucchi said.
The snake was uninjured and appeared to be in good health Wednesday morning, Delucchi said. It was taken to a safe location in San Mateo County and released back into the wild.
Delucchi said gopher snakes are not uncommon in the area and are not dangerous to humans.
The Peninsula Humane Society responds to more than 4,000 wild animal emergencies annually from San Francisco to Santa Clara County, Delucchi said.
