These McDonald's employees are being hailed as heroes after they secretly acknowledged a female customer's pleas for help last week—and their quick actions helped to rescue her from her domestic abuser.

The woman had originally approached the service counter of the restaurant in Lodi, California, by herself so she could pretend like she was placing an order. She then told the staffers to call the police because she was in danger of being harmed by her male travel companion. Additionally, she gave them her license plate number and asked them to keep her hidden until law enforcement arrived.

The woman went to the bathroom as the employees called the San Joaquin Police Department and explained the situation. When the woman returned to the counter to place an order, however, the man in question walked into the store and demanded she use the drive-thru.

San Joaquin police officers later reported that the man, Eduardo Valenzuela, had physically abused the woman in the past. On that particular day, he had threatened her with a stolen firearm and demanded that she take him to see his family.

After the woman was coaxed to go through the drive-thru, she continued mouthing the words "help me" to the employees. Luckily, law enforcement officers arrived on the scene shortly after the call was placed and Valenzuela was arrested and charged with criminal threats, stolen property, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Notably, the McDonald's in question is just one of 20,000 restaurants, businesses, libraries, and community spaces across the United States that have been certified by The Safe Place Program, an organization dedicated to training US workforces so they can offer safety and emergency services to people in need.

"We are proud of our team for doing their part in being A SAFE PLACE!" wrote the Golden State McDonald's Facebook page. "Thank you to our team for handling this appropriately, and to the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office Deputies who are constantly serving and protecting our community! We are proud to be in support with both A Safe Place and all of our law enforcement!"

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