Watch: Hostage rescued after adding secret message to order from Irish cafe

Workers at The Chipper Truck Cafe in Yonkers immediately called the police after receiving a request through delivery app GrubHub from a woman saying she was afraid she would be murdered.

Under her order she had written in the additional instructions portion: "Please call the police his going to call me when u delivered come with the cones please don't make it obvious."

"This morning around 5am a girl was saved from a five-hour hostage situation," a post from the Chipper Truck Cafe reads.

"I've often heard of this happening but never thought it would happen to us. Thankfully we were open and able to help her."

The New York City Police Department said officers responded to the scene at the address in the Bronx at about 6.20am on Sunday.

A suspect, Kemoy Royal, was arrested on charges of rape, strangulation, criminal sex act, unlawful imprisonment, menacing, assault, criminal possession of a weapon and sexual abuse.

Alicia Bermejo (20) whose parents own The Chipper Truck, said she arrived at the store after the incident.

Two women, one in her 40s and one in her 20s called Ms Bermejo's father for guidance because the message was somewhat "incoherent."

"When I see the message on the paper, I said just call police and don’t send the food because this is something else. It’s an emergency," said owner Valentine Bernejo.

He told them to cancel the order - a cheeseburger and an Irish breakfast sandwich - and call the police instead.

"That was the best thing for her," Ms Bermejo said of the victim. "The police ended up showing up instead of a delivery driver.

Alice said she always reminds her employees to read the entire order.

"I drove them crazy saying read the fine note, the fine print, you have to read it. So they know check and read it before anything goes into the bag and thankfully that’s what saved the girl was them doing that," she said.

The message came from a woman being held against her will by a man she barely knew, identified by police as Royal who answered the door thinking the food was arriving, but instead was arrested by police.

The 24-year-old victim was rescued from the home and is now safe.

Royal is also facing charges for attacking another woman just days before the assault over the weekend.

The owners of the Chipper Truck Café later received an unexpected call from Grubhub.

"He was so happy about what we did and he offered us $5,000 for just doing what we did and just paying attention to the notes," said Alice Bernejo.

Alice added that The Chipper Truck is known as something of a neighbourhood watch due to its 24-hour opening and long-standing position in the community.

"This added a new level and new meaning to that," she said, but added: "I don't think any of us ever expected anything like this."